The Choices We Make
by Mirage79
Summary: Bonnie's loyalty to her friends have never been in question. And that goes the same for their loyalty to her. Watch – or read – as each one of her friends ponder on their relationship with the little witch and her relationship with them. All Human Fic, OOC and maybe a little AU.
1. Chapter 1

_So I know I have Power Plays to finish but wanted to get this out to see what you all think. This is essentially a Bonnie-centric fic, but from the view of those around her and eventually from her. All human, OOC's for most this was just a little something that was running around in my head. _

_I also have a confession to make. I don't watch TVD anymore. Once they started dabbling in the whole Elena loves Stefan but loves Damon as well thing, I immediately lost interest. Also I realise how much of a bitch I've been to Elena. I honestly liked her at the beginning. But then the writers made her out to be annoying and introduced the mixed conflicted feelings she has for her boyfriend's brother, so now I no longer watch it. So I thought I'd try and compensate and make her likeable in this fic. Hope you all enjoy!_

_**The Choices We Make...**_

_**Stefan…**_

If there was one thing Stefan Salvatore always knew, was that Bonnie Bennett had been best thing that ever happened to his older brother Damon.

She had been and still was the only girl in history that saw his brother for what he was. An arrogant S.O.B who thought that the world and everyone in it was there to serve him and him alone. She called him out on it, refused to take any of his crap, and was by no means intimidated by him. Something that his 'oh-so-wonderful-brother' was definitely not use to. Especially when it came to the fairer sex.

There were no blinders when it came to Bonnie and Damon. Most women took one look at his brother; see his movie-star good-looks, freaky blue eyes and his extra large wallet and allowed him to dictate every facet of their relationship.

Bonnie however would look at his brother and tell him to act his fucking age. Stefan's lips quirked. He absolutely _**loved**_ how Bonnie was able to swim through all of Damon's bullshit and come away still smelling like Cocoa butter and vanilla.

And she was still the only girl in history that could claim the heart of one Damon Giuseppe Salvatore. Asshole extraordinaire.

Too bad the arrogant S.O.B had to go and destroy what was probably the only relationship with a woman where he truly had a chance of happiness with.

Actually he blew that relationship right out of the water with close to no hope of ever regaining it back.

Damon had fucked up majorly and the thing was if he hadn't then he wouldn't be in the situation he was currently in. Watching as the love of his life moved on with someone else.

Shaking his head while watching his brother ignore his supermodel date and glare at his ex-girlfriend and _**her**_ date, Stefan rolled his eyes. Any fool could see that Damon still had it bad for the ex-girlfriend who said fuck you and walked out on him. Really bad.

Almost four years ago, Damon had made the decision that Bonnie Bennett would be his and firmly attached himself to her tail. So much so that as _**her**_ best friend Stefan found it annoying.

He wasn't use to sharing Bonnie with his brother. He didn't _**like**_ sharing Bonnie with his brother, but as usual when it came to Damon, Damon did what he wanted when he wanted. And if that meant that he annoyed the fuck out of his younger brother while doing it, then all for it. Plus really Stefan didn't get a say in the matter.

Bonnie Bennett had been a part of his family since the time they were both in grade school. She literally grew up with them. Spending more time at his house than her own, she even had her own room at the mansion.

He and Bonnie had been friends since first grade, when Bonnie stumbled on him crying his eyes out because his older brother refused to play with him. She had plopped down right next to him, handed him half her sandwich and chattered away like they had been friends for years.

She then proceeded to introduce him to others who would later be their core group of friends. There was Matt Donovan and Tyler Lockwood. Best friends and if rumours were correct half-brothers. Tyler's father apparently playing 'happy families' with Matt's mother while his wife was at home trying to get over her morning sickness. Caroline Forbes and Rebekah Mikaelson, the two blonde bombshells of their group who termed themselves 'frienemies' because they spent more time cat fighting than anything else.

Katherine Pierce had been the poor little rich girl out of all of them. Mega rich, even more than the Lockwood's, she had an attitude larger than her daddy's bank account.

And then there was him and Bonnie. Closer than best friends they were more like brother and sister than anything else. He was actually a whole lot closer to her than he was to his own brother.

Most thought that their closeness would lead to something else. His parents _**hoped**_ that it would lead to something else.

But unfortunately for them, him and Bonnie would never be _**him and Bonnie.**_

Incest was just not something he was into.

Damon however had always had this was his weird fascination with Bonnie. As kids he use to claim the Bonnie was _**his**_ and that he was allowing Stefan to play with her, like she were some kind of toy. Stefan and Bonnie would roll their eyes at him and then run to Stefan's room to play.

A couple of years older than them, Stefan had thought Damon always viewed Bonnie as a little sister. Teasing her to the point of distraction and being over-protective to the point where Bonnie had to sneak behind _**Damon's**_ back to date. Her father – who was barely in her life anyways - wasn't the issue when it came to her dating. Damon was.

Once she turned 21 it seemed as if Damon finally got tired of waiting and asked her out on a date. A real honest to goodness date that didn't include his baby brother trying to steal all her attention from him. And to Stefan's surprise she had accepted.

So started the love story that was Bonnie and Damon. They had lasted two years, which was one year, 11 months and 51 weeks longer than Stefan thought they would.

And a week was being overly generous because he would've sworn on his prized Muhammad Ali boxing gloves that Damon would've done something stupid to piss Bonnie off and have her dumb his butt.

But he was wrong.

During that time he had seen a side of Damon that he had honestly never thought existed. And he had also seen another side that worried him.

Damon had always been possessive. Even as a child. He never liked to share and if something was his – and according to his former child self, that was Bonnie - then you weren't allowed to touch.

As he got older, his possessiveness only grew almost to the point of unbearable, and Stefan saw the way he tried to control who Bonnie saw and who Bonnie hung out with.

Unfortunately for Damon, Bonnie was not the same as all the other women he dated. When he bitched, she ignored, when he whined, she told him to get the fuck over it, when he threatened she said try it. Bonnie had been his match in every way.

But he had also seen his brother soften considerably. During that time, Damon had been somewhat tolerable to be around. Sure he still had his assholish moments but they seemed to be few and far between.

She tempered him. Calmed his already volatile nature and was able to have him sit in a room with his brother and his father without antagonizing them.

It was a small miracle but a miracle just the same. Damon didn't have a close relationship with either Stefan or his father. In fact there were times Stefan thought Damon actually hated them, but Bonnie was able to get him to sit at their mother's table and not make one sarcastic comment about either man.

Even hard-assed Giuseppe Salvatore had a special place in his heart for his pint-sized best friend, thus explaining her very own room in the mansion.

Actually when it came to Bonnie, Giuseppe was a big old pile of goo. Ever since the day eight-year old Bonnie asked Giuseppe to be her date to the Father-Daughter dance at school. When he had asked why she didn't ring and ask her own father, she had lifted those thin shoulders of hers, stared at him with big green eyes and told him that he had been more of a father to her than her own and wanted him to take her.

From that day on Bonnie Bennett could do no wrong in the eyes of Giuseppe Salvatore. So the not-so-subtle death threats he gave his own son should he ever hurt her didn't really surprise either brother.

His mom absolutely adored her. Considering Bonnie her unofficial daughter she was fiercely protective of her.

Bonnie's own mother was a non-entity in her life having skipped out of town when she was barely four. And Sofia Salvatore willingly stepped into that role for Bonnie.

Bonnie had become a major part of their family and when Damon and Bonnie hooked up, both his parents and Stefan had laid the hard word down on Damon.

And for a while there Damon seemed to heed their warnings. But then Damon's brain had to take a leave of absence and he slept with Katherine Pierce. _**His**_ ex-girlfriend and Bonnie's best female friend.

Stefan paused as he thought of Katherine. Katherine was the type of woman that could literally stop traffic. Incredibly beautiful, with self-confidence in spades, you had to be a special type of someone to be her friend and not feel intimidated.

She had been a part of their group from the beginning, but if he were truly honest she was barely tolerated. Matt and Tyler ignored her most of the time, not wanting to deal with the drama that was Katherine. Rebekah and Caroline were united in the fact that Katherine was actually Bonnie's friend, not theirs.

Bonnie seemed to be the only person who could be around Katherine for long periods of time without wanting to kill her. Even Stefan who had been her boyfriend couldn't do that.

Their personalities couldn't have been more different. Katherine could be a straight up bitch, and was proud of it. Bonnie, though by no means a push over, was the sweet one. The one everyone wanted to know, the one every guy's parent wish their son was dating. Parents didn't like Katherine. She tended to rub them the wrong way.

Katherine's personality was abrasive, Bonnie's soothing. Katherine needed to be the centre of attention whereas Bonnie couldn't give a damn.

But for some odd reason, their friendship worked. Bonnie being the only one strong enough to put up with Katherine and all her crap, and Bonnie being the only one Katherine was even remotely nice to.

His relationship with Katherine had been a temperamental one. More off than on, he had fallen into a relationship with her. She pushed and because Stefan had been a young, _**horny,**_ teenager and she had been one of the hottest girls in school, he hadn't protested. Had he love Katherine? No not really. But he had enjoyed those rare moments they had together where she wasn't trying to win the bitch of the year award.

At the time of what they had all penned as the 'debacle' he and Katherine had been off and Bonnie had introduced him to Elena Gilbert. He had hesitated asking Elena out on a date, because physically she looked remarkably like Katherine. But as he got to know her, Stefan realised that Elena was _**nothing**_ like his ex-girlfriend.

So he pulled on his big-boy britches, like Bonnie told him to do, and asked her out on a date. Five dates later and Stefan couldn't see Katherine's face when he looked at her anymore. Instead he saw her. Elena.

Somehow Katherine had gotten wind of Stefan moving on – something he blamed the blonde duo for – and Katherine had high-tailed it to his and Damon's apartment to try and seduce him back.

He knew relegating Katherine to 'friends with benefits' was going to bite him in the butt. She still thought that him sleeping with her, even though technically they weren't 'together', gave her some rights. It didn't.

He had told her that whatever they had was over. An argument ensured and Stefan had left the apartment after telling her, her booty call status was revoked.

Apparently she had stayed at his apartment, drinking all his liquor waiting for him to come home. And apparently she hadn't been able to tell the difference from one brother to the other.

A few hours later he had received a distressed call from Bonnie to come and get her from his apartment and he had been arrested for assault on his own brother.

Bonnie had been devastated. Walking in and catching your boyfriend fucking your best friend was clichéd at best but it was something that Bonnie hadn't expected would happen to her. Actually it was something that _**none**_ of them had expected because if there was one thing Katherine had valued was her relationship with Bonnie.

At least Katherine had a somewhat plausible excuse. She had been off her face drunk. Damon however had been stone-cold sober. He had walked into _**that**_ with his eyes wide open and his mind clear as day. And he had destroyed whatever he had with Bonnie.

Stefan tended to think that Damon actually thought this was something Bonnie would get over. After all, it was his same M.O for all his relationships, he goes out with a woman, fucks around on her, gets caught and both women do anything and everything to try and win him back.

This however had Bonnie refusing to talk to either party, Matt and Tyler conspiring to do away with Damon's remains after Stefan got through with him, and Rebekah and Caroline thinking of ways to cut Damon's balls from his body.

And then to make an already fucked up situation worse, Katherine found out she was pregnant. Nine months later Katherine and Damon had a very cute little baby boy and everyone else still reeling from the shock.

It had taken a lot of talking and even some threatening on Bonnie's part to stop Stefan from tearing his brother limb from limb.

And it had taken a lot of crocodile tears from Bonnie to stop his father from disowning his own son.

Katherine had practically been ostracized by everyone, her once close relationship with Bonnie non-existent. It hadn't been until the birth of Jackson Damon Salvatore that people started talking to her again.

His father still refused to; instead he lavished his attention on his only grandson, constantly bemoaning the fact that Jackson could've been Bonnie's son. Instead his mother was a she-devil and his father was an idiot.

Stefan shook his head. They both got what they deserved.

And now two years down the track, Damon was semi-stalking Bonnie, Katherine trying to sabotage his new relationship with Elena and Bonnie was dating Mason Lockwood, Tyler's much younger and not that much older than them, Uncle.

Stefan smirked. He liked Mason. Treated Bonnie like a queen, understood and accepted _**his**_ relationship with Bonnie and wasn't afraid to go toe to toe with Damon. Mason was _**exactly**_ what Bonnie needed.

"Hey, what's with the frown?" turning Stefan felt his heart kick up as he stared down at the doe-like eyes of his date. Elena Gilbert.

Smiling down at her, he snaked his arm around her waist and drew her closer, his body hardening at the familiar feeling of hers against his. By now he was use to his body's immediate response to this one woman. It had always been that way since the first time he met her.

The sudden shortness of breath, the racing of his pulse and the instant salute of something that made him wish he had looser pants on.

Bonnie seeing his reaction had teased him mercilessly about it, making him wish she didn't know him quite that well as she did. He had voiced his concerns to his best friend. Dating someone with Katherine's face didn't bode well for him. Bonnie being Bonnie had told him to get the fuck over it and ask her out. Annoying little brat.

"What was that?" he asked, his eyes drifting over the perfect lines of her face. Lightly tanned skin, high cheekbones, perfectly arched brows, big doe-like eyes, perfectly formed lips.

Elena was definitely one hell of a beautiful woman.

"The frown." The reached up smoothing the lines of his forehead, a playful smile crossing her face. "What's with the frown?"

Drawing her body closer so that he was able to wrap both his arms around her tiny waist, Stefan smiled down at her, watching as a faint blush tinted her cheeks. Elena was just the right height for someone of his stature. She fit into his arms, as if she were made for him.

"Just watching my brother make an ass of himself." He commented. "Again."

Frowning slightly Elena took a look over her shoulder, her eyes falling on the man in question, her lips quirking at the thunderous look on his face. If looks could kill, Mason Lockwood would be six feet under and worm-food. Actually if looks could kill Mason Lockwood would be deep fried into crispy little bits and then dusted over the floor so Damon could walk over his burnt remains.

"You'd think he'd be use to that by now. They've only been dating for the last six months." Elena commented, her eyes drifting from the couple in question to Damon.

Stefan rolled his eyes.

"Let's just say when it comes to Bonnie, Damon has always been – a tiny bit unreasonable." He said with mock seriousness. "As well as extremely possessive."

Elena shrugged.

"Then he shouldn't have cheated on her." Elena muttered and Stefan smiled at her protectiveness of Bonnie.

Most women he dated – bar Katherine – hated Bonnie on principle. She was the sexy best friend of the man they dated and he had no worries in telling them that if they made him choose – and more than a couple had – between them and her, she would win every time.

Sorry, a best friend / sister meant more to him than some tail any day.

Elena however had been different. She had been friends with Bonnie first, the two meeting in college and understood the dynamics of their relationship. Accepted the dynamics of their relationship.

Bonnie in turn encouraged them getting together even going as far as warning him not to play her. Or she'd tell his father who really crashed his prized Bentley.

"No arguments there." He told brushing his lips across her temple. The scent of vanilla and strawberries assaulted his sense, making him wish they were alone. In his room. Naked. Yep there goes the instant salute. He really needed to get control of that. Especially when they were in public. It was getting embarrassing.

"Your dad actually spoke to me today." Elena told him brightly, warm brown eyes shinning up at him with laughter. "Well it was more of a grunt than anything else, but it didn't follow his usual dark scowl."

Stefan chuckled.

"That's progress." He told her.

"Yep, something tells me it that Bonnie had something to do with it. Either her or your mom."

"Probably both." He grinned, eyebrows raised. "They both really, really like you."

Elena smiled up at him, leaning up to plant a kiss on his lips.

"And I really, really like you." She murmured against his lips, smiling when his grip tightened around her waist.

Elena Gilbert had the ability to turn his thoughts into cobwebs and his body into granite.

Palming the small of her back he deepened the kiss, unmindful of the display he was causing at his father's little get-together.

Elena's moan had Stefan tensing and on the verge of dragging her from the room and finding the nearest dark closet.

"Well, well, well, isn't this just quaint." A low sultry voice sneered from behind them, causing both Stefan and Elena to stiffen. "If it isn't Little Juliet and her Romeo. How. Fucking. Sweet."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Wow what an amazing response! You guys totally rock. Thanks to everyone who liked, commented, favorited and followed! Your comments have made me put this up much faster than I anticipated! So here's to the next chapter to The Choices We Make…**_

_**Elena**_

Elena Gilbert truly believed that some people were put into one's life to test you. To test your grit and your determination. Or as her grandmother would like to say _**'To test your mettle."**_

Elena also believed that there was someone in everyone's life that could be termed as your natural born enemy.

Othello had Iago, The Montague's had the Capulet's. Even Superman had Lex Luthor.

And for her that person was Katherine Pierce.

Beautiful, confident, strong willed Katherine Pierce who believed that Elena stole her best friend as well as her boyfriend.

Beautiful, confident, strong willed Katherine Pierce who hated Elena on sight because people commented that even though they looked alike, Elena was the antithesis of everything Katherine ever was.

Beautiful, confident, strong willed Katherine Pierce who was super intimidating and _**insanely**_ beautiful that Elena honestly couldn't see what those same people were talking about.

Elena could not, for the life of her, see what they saw. Katherine was taller, curvier, forever dressed in Vivian Westwood, Stella McCartney or Alexander McQueen. And that's just to name a few designer's Katherine draped on her body. Others Elena couldn't even pronounce their names.

Katherine's hair was darker than hers, more black than brown. Her skin the color of warm toffee, which was a shade darker than her own lightly tanned skin. Even her eyes were different. A light shade of amber whereas Elena's were just plain old brown.

Katherine was borderline arrogant, Elena considered herself semi-confident. Actually she probably had more doubts than not, but it seemed that Katherine never had a moment of doubt.

Katherine harboured a genius level I.Q whereas Elena scraped through high-school with a B average.

Katherine was the only child of a billionaire that had more money than Mark Zuckerberg whereas Elena came from a middle-class family consisting of a mother who liked to poke her nose in her daughter's business a bit too much, a father who worked a management job at a consultancy firm and a younger brother who tended to like the taste of pot more than he actually should.

But the thing that separated them the most though was that Katherine was a class A bitch, a mantle she took on proudly daring anybody to try and snatch it from her. Elena refused to be mean to anyone who wasn't mean to her first.

And unfortunately for Elena, Katherine had been a bitch to her since the first hello.

She remembered when Bonnie had introduced them. The way that Katherine had the ability to make her feel as if she were crud at the bottom of her Christian Louboutin shoes. Marring the signature red underside making Elena wish she were anywhere else but in Katherine's presence. She later found out that's how Katherine made _**everyone**_ feel.

Elena couldn't fathom why Bonnie Bennett and Katherine Pierce were friends. Bonnie was sweet, funny and honestly one of the _**nicest**_ people Elena ever met. Everyone knew her, and everyone _**liked**_ her.

It was hard not to. They had met in college at their Cultural Diversity Class.

She had been sitting at the back in their first semester, trying to keep up with whatever the lecturer was talking about when she felt someone slip in the seat beside her, arguing quietly with her companion.

"_I'm not discussing this with you, Beks."_

"_Oh c'mon Bonnie. Enquiring minds wants to know." A girl with a decidedly British accent pleaded. "Just a ball park estimate."_

"_No."_

"_Spoil sport!" the British girl complained._

_Glancing over, Elena saw a beautiful blonde girl do a double take, dark brown eyes drifting over her face._

"_Woah. Freaky."_

_Frowning slightly Elena stared at the blonde before her gaze dropped to the girl at her side._

_Both women were beautiful. The blonde, model-like, with sleek bright blonde hair, dark brown eyes, peaches and cream colored skin._

_The other girl had sienna colored skin, dark green eyes and a wealth of thick black hair._

"_Sorry." The darker girl had whispered. _

_Elena ventured a smile that the darker girl returned._

"_No problem."_

"_Did we miss much?" she asked her, indicating to the tall albeit very cute lecturer who commanded centre stage._

"_Not really." Elena whispered back, smiling, a bit freaked out that the blonde continued to stare at her. It was creepy. "Although I'm not paying that much attention so if you did, I wouldn't be able to tell you."_

_Chuckling the darker girl held out her hand._

"_Bonnie Bennett, the slightly creepy blonde here is Rebekah Mikaelson –" Mikaelson? As in the Mikaelson University that they were attending, Mikaelson? Woah._

_The word 'creepy' seemed to knock the blonde out of her stupor._

"_Bonnie!" flicking her in the arm the blonde held out her hand. "Sorry you just look like someone we know." Rebekah paused, shaking her head as she ran her gaze over Elena again. "Like really look like someone we know." Rebekah told her, shaking her hand._

_Rolling her eyes at her friend, Bonnie leaned towards Elena._

"_Don't worry. She's had her shots, she's pretty harmless, and despite what it sounded like she wasn't trying to hit on you."_

"_Bonnie!" the half-hearted slap the blonde delivered to Bonnie had Elena's feeling a small pang of jealousy at their closeness. She didn't really have that type of friendship. With anyone._

"_But in saying that, you do look like a friend we have."_

"_Ah, she's your friend, she's my – acquaintance? Annoyance?" Rebekah corrected._

_Shaking her head at the blonde, Bonnie smiled at Elena._

"_Sorry, Elena Gilbert." Elena introduced shaking Bonnie's hand._

"_Miss Bennett and Miss Mikaelson. Can you please tell me what I just said." The hottie in the front of the class interrupted the trio's conversation, causing Rebekah's eyes to narrow and glare at him._

"_You were talking about the study of the Pacific cultures, sir." Bonnie interrupted smoothly, elbowing her blonde companion. "The similarity they all __**seem**__ to share but the vast differences that is between them. You also mentioned the schedule in which we will be learning them. The Solomon Islands who share similar aspects to those of Fijian origin will be the first point of call." Bonnie finished smiling sweetly at the lecturer who stared at the small brunette, face emotionless but eyes alight with hidden laughter._

"_Very good, Miss Bennett. Maybe next time you and Miss Mikaelson will be on time to my class." With that he turned back to the rest of the class, going over the timetable of their year._

"_Maybe next time I'll shove a stake so far up your arse you'll be tasting wood." Rebekah sneered, glaring moodily at man in front._

"_Stop it." Bonnie hissed. "You decided to take this class with me, if you can't get on with your brother as your lecturer then leave."_

"_He's a fucking tosser!" Rebekah complained. "Maybe next time you and Miss Mikaelson will be on time to my class" she mocked her voice lowering and sound very much like her brother's. "Tosser!"_

_Rolling her eyes at her friend, Bonnie turned to Elena._

"_Save me now." She moaned, causing Elena to burst out into laughter._

From that day on Elena found herself a small group of friends that she would honestly say she was closer to than those she grew up with.

If Bonnie was sweet, and nice, Katherine was acrid and mocking. She barely tolerated anyone that wasn't named Bonnie or Stefan. Everyone also knew Katherine. Although unlike Bonnie, everyone didn't like Katherine.

And it was like she didn't even care. If you hated her, then you hated her. Katherine Pierce refused to waste her time of people who meant less than nothing to her.

And since the first time Bonnie had introduce them; Katherine had made sure that Elena felt as if she was less than nothing.

By this time Elena had met all of Bonnie's close friends, each one having the same reaction as Rebekah. The staring, the stunned shock and then the comments. It had made Elena feel uncomfortable, especially after seeing Stefan's reaction.

She had yet to meet the elusive Katherine Pierce, and from what Caroline and Rebekah told her she wouldn't _**want**_ to meet Katherine.

Katherine had been in Australia during that time for her father and the night after she got back Bonnie and the gang were going out to celebrate. Bonnie had invited her to come out with them.

"_We're all just going to Club Dark." Bonnie had told her. "Rebekah's older brother Klaus owns it –"_

"_How many brothers __**does**__ she have?" Elena had asked, confused. She had met Elijah, and the youngest brother Kol who was two cans short of a six-pack._

_Bonnie's face turned thoughtful._

"_There's Elijah the eldest who you know. Finn's next, kinda the recluse of the family. He's a professor with the whole alphabet after his name and he's at the Smithsonian studying dead cultures. Klaus owns the nightclub and a string of similar ones both here in the States and in England. Kol who again you've met. He just parties." Bonnie shrugged. "I'm pretty sure he has a job, I just don't know what it is, Beks who still trying to find herself and her calling. They did have another brother, Henrick, but he died when we all were young in Afghanistan. Casualty of war." Sadness flickered across Bonnie's face before she turned back to Elena. "So, come with?"_

Elena had agreed. She loved hanging out with Bonnie and her friends.

Rebekah was sarcastic with a very dry wit, Caroline was bossy and absolutely loved fashion, Matt was sweet and funny. Tyler was hot but temperamental. And then there was Stefan. Gorgeous, hot, funny, gorgeous. When Elena first met him she was sure that someone had sucked the oxygen right out of the room.

You saw it, on those corny romantic movies Caroline loved to watch so much. Boy meets girl and everything and everyone fades into the background. The sounds, the people. Everything. And when they touched you could almost see the sparks coming from where their hands met, causing both of them to jump slightly and stare at their connected hands.

Stefan had been the main reason why Elena had agreed to meet them at the club. Because Elena _**needed**_ to see Stefan again.

So they all met up at the Club. Rebekah's older incredibly hot brother allowing them access to the VIP area. Elena had never been VIP anywhere. And to be one at the hottest clubs in the city, mind blowing.

Bonnie had shown up with her date, Stefan's older brother Damon, who was insanely gorgeous, even more so than Stefan, but ignored everyone that wasn't named Bonnie.

Rebekah came with her man of the moment, a guy called Aiden Waite, extremely pale but also very hot, who couldn't keep his hands nor his lips off his date.

Caroline came alone, probably hoping to catch the attention of Rebekah's older brother Klaus in an extremely short, bright red mini-dress. And she seemed to be succeeding.

Matt and Tyler came stag, both wanting to mingle with anything that was hot and in a skirt.

Stefan came alone as well causing Elena's pulse to race. Only to have her heart stop beating when she had arrived to find a beautiful brunette practically on Stefan's lap.

"_Elena!" Bonnie greeted warmly, detangling herself from the possessive arms of Stefan's older brother._

"_Hey everyone." Elena greeted shyly, her eyes going back to Stefan who smiled at her warmly._

"_Elena!" everyone who knew her greeted back._

"_Come I want you to meet someone. This is Damon, my boyfriend and Stefan's older brother."_

"_Your boyfriend is sufficient description enough, Judgey." The man interrupted smoothly, barely sparing Elena a glance. "Let's leave the whole Stefan's older brother thing out, hmm?" he murmured burying his face in her neck._

_Rolling her eyes at her boyfriend, Bonnie turned to the brunette at Stefan's side._

"_And this is Katherine Pierce." Bonnie had said, smiling at Elena. "Katy, Elena Gilbert."_

_Elena smiled at the other woman holding out her hand, ignoring the possessive hand she had on Stefan's arm._

"_Nice to meet you Katherine." Elena greeted politely._

_Katherine stared down at her offered hand, as if it were disease ridden. Cold light brown eyes glaring into hers._

"_I'm sure it is." Katherine had replied smoothly, causing a frown to mar Elena's brow. "Sweetie, you shouldn't frown. Those wrinkles will only get more prominent if you do." She said sweetly waving airily to Elena's forehead._

"_Katy." Bonnie warned, shooting her a 'be nice' look. "Stop."_

_Huffing, Katherine shot Elena a thin smile._

"_I'm only teasing, darling. You'll do – fine." She waved her hand, the look on her face saying otherwise. _

Elena had remembered Bonnie shaking her head and looking at Katherine pointedly.

Katherine had laughed it off commenting something about doppelgangers needing to stay in their own little hideaways. Elena didn't even know what the hell a doppelganger was, and from the sneer on Katherine's face she didn't _**want**_ to know what one was.

Elena had been shocked. She had never met anyone with so much animosity in them. It was like it was a part of her soul.

She had also ever met anyone who had so much _**hate**_ in her. She hated everything. The food, the weather, the way people dressed.

That night had been both extremely uncomfortable and amazing all at the same time.

Uncomfortable because she had to suffer through the death glares from Katherine who tried to exclude Elena from everything. Uncomfortable because of the undeniable tension between Stefan and Katherine. The latter trying to draw the former onto the dance floor numerous times. And also the tension between Stefan and _**Damon**_ when, Stefan sick of Katherine's obvious ploys, grabbed Bonnie's hand and dragged her to the dance floor.

If looks could kill Stefan would be dead. Damon who barely talked to anyone had stood, intending on storming to the dance floor and grabbing his girlfriend back only to have Katherine grab his hand and drag him back into his seat, hissing something at him in Italian – at least Elena _**thought**_ it was Italian – that had the older man's jaw clenching and glaring at the couple in question.

The night was also amazing because after Bonnie and Stefan got off the dance floor, Stefan had asked _**her**_ to dance and she barely remembered the rest of the night. The bliss of being in his arms muddling her thoughts and scrambling her brain.

But Elena would always remember the night she met Katherine Pierce, because that was the night that Stefan had asked her on her first date.

And from that night on, Elena knew that she was so far gone over Stefan Salvatore that she was sure she'd never find her way back.

"What the hell are you doing here, Katherine?" Stefan snapped, drawing her attention back to the present. "This is for employees and family only."

"Well since I'm the mother of the only Salvatore grandchild I get an automatic invite." She smirked eyeing Stefan with barely leashed hunger, those brightly painted lips curving into a seductive smile.

That same color on Elena would make Elena looked washed out. Either that or a high classed hooker. That color on Katherine made her look like a hotter version of Nina Dobrev. Bitch.

"Yeah and how did _**that**_ come about again?" Stefan mocked her. "Oh wait! That's right, you fucked your best friends boyfriend."

Something flashed across Katherine's face that Elena could've sworn was remorse before it disappeared making Elena question if she even saw it.

"Yes, well, Bonnie is slowly forgiving me for that – indiscretion."

"So that's what we're calling it now days?" Stefan barked, laughing. "Indiscretion. Such in inadequate word for something that broke your best friend's heart." Stefan shot her a mocking look. "Indiscretion."

Katherine's lips tightened briefly before they stretched into a hard smile.

"You're looking – adequate Erica." Katherine said sweetly, light amber eyes raking over the dress Elena wore. "Second hand?"

Elena gritted her teeth at the insult.

"Actually new. Caroline took me shopping." Elena replied abruptly, ignoring the sneer on the other woman's face.

"Ah yes, dear old Caroline. Explains the dress." Katherine nodded regally. "You do know that color yellow does not go well with your skin. What _**was**_ Caroline thinking?" Katherine mocked.

"Stop being a bitch, Katherine." Stefan snapped.

"But I do it so well, Stefan." Katherine purred. "Just like another thing I do so well. Do you remember Stefan?" she took a step towards him, hands sliding up the lapels of his suit, subtly elbowing Elena out of the way. "Do you remember Cabo?" she asked him huskily. "The private pool? Or Aspen and the hot tub?"

Elena's heart dipped. They looked so good together. Katherine's tall, curvy figure against his tall lean length. Almost like the perfect couple. Taking a step back, Elena fought against the feeling of inadequacy she felt always around this one woman.

"I also remember getting a call from my best friend." Stefan said darkly, fingers hard around her wrists as he dragged them from around his shoulders and dropped them. "I remember her crying as she told me she caught _**you**_ in bed with her boyfriend." Hard green eyes glared down at Katherine making Elena shiver slightly. "I remember comforting my best friend as her heart literally broke when you and her boyfriend announced that you were pregnant with her boyfriend's baby. _**That **_I do remember Katherine. Vividly."

Katherine paused in front of him, amber eyes turning dark.

"Don't you think I _**regret**_ everything I did?" Katherine bit out furiously, poking him in the chest with a well manicured finger. "Don't you think that every night I go to bed and regret that I hurt the one person in this world that actually gave a fuck about me?" eyes bright with unshed tears Katherine took a step into Stefan who continued to glare down at her. "Because I _**do**_ Stefan. Every. Fucking. Day. I go to sleep at night after putting _**my**_ son to sleep and regret the events that lead to his conception." By now Elena had a feeling both Stefan and Katherine had totally forgotten about her presence. Instead they were too caught up in their past.

"I look at my son every fucking day and even though a part of me regrets the way he was conceived I refuse to regret _**him**_. I won't let him feel what I went through –"okay now Elena _**knew**_ they had forgotten her presence because she was pretty sure that was something Katherine would never let someone like her know about. "– but I do regret the way I made _**my**_ best friend feel. I do regret sleeping with Damon. I thought he was_** you!**_"

"I call bullshit on that one," Stefan sneered. "Because Bonnie found you in _**his**_ bed, on top of _**him**_."

"I was drunk –"

"You don't _**get**_ drunk Katherine!" he bit out through gritted teeth, and Elena saw people shoot them looks. Bonnie who had been on the other side of the room must have picked something up, because she started making her way towards them. "You being drunk means you having no control. That's no something Katherine Pierce allows."

Katherine took a step back her face impassive.

"Even someone like me has a break in their control, Stefan." She told him quietly, so different from the Katherine Elena normally knew that she made Elena blink.

"Everything okay here?" Bonnie asked smoothly, deliberately stepping between Katherine and Stefan.

"Peachy." Katherine sneered, before avoiding Bonnie's pointed look. "I was just commenting on Erica's dress." She indicated to Elena a look an intense distaste on her face. "It's really – yellow."

Rolling her eyes at Katherine, Bonnie threaded her arm through the other woman's.

"Her name is Elena, which you very well know. Stop being a bitch, Katy."

Katherine paused, stunned eyes going to Bonnie who stared at her pointedly. Confused at the look on the other woman's face, Elena shot Stefan a look.

He looked mad. But this time at Bonnie.

"Bon –"

"Katherine, my dear." A smooth honeyed voice interrupted whatever Stefan was about to say and Elena turned to watch as the Salvatore Matriarch made her way towards them.

"Sofia." Katherine greeted, her eyes going back to Bonnie.

"Bonnie." A loving smile crossed Stefan's mother's face as she accepted the small kiss Bonnie placed on her cheek.

"Mama Sofia." Bonnie greeted. "Looking beautiful as usual. I'm surprised Papa hasn't stolen you away."

"Ok ew!" Stefan snapped, glaring at his best friend.

"Oh stop!" Sofia laughed slapping her son on the arm. "I've come to steal Katherine away. We need to start making plans about the Charity dinner, Katherine and with Glenda Harrington here as well, I thought we could start nutting out the details." The older woman smiled up at Katherine, her face cordial but her eyes daring the younger woman to deny her.

"My pleasure, Sofia." Katherine said smoothly, detangling her arm from Bonnie's.

"Perfect. Ladies, Stefan." Sofia bade farewell drawing Katherine with her.

"Katy," Bonnie stopped the pair, causing Katherine to stare at her with hopeful eyes. "Maybe we could – catch up tomorrow. Me you and Jackson."

Katherine nodded, before blinking. Seemingly gathering her wits together.

"That – that would be great. Call me."

Nodding Bonnie, Elena and Stefan watched them go before Stefan turned on his best friend and flicked her in the arm.

"Ok Ow!" Bonnie snapped, rubbing the abused area.

"You're forgiving her!" he accused. "This is the first time you've called her Katy since the debacle and you're forgiving her!" he raised his voice drawing more attention to them.

"One, lower your voice; you are drawing unwanted attention to yourself. _**Again.**_" She emphasised, looking around them. "Two, it's either forgive her or act like you. A crazy idiot drawing unwanted attention at his father's get together for employees."

"Dammit Bonnie –"

"I'm tired, Stefan. I've been tired for a long time. It's time to get over it. I have, you need to as well."

Elena stepped up beside Stefan, slipping her hand into his. Jumping slightly Stefan turned, his fingers tightening around hers.

"It's just - I hate her!" Stefan snapped his gaze going from Elena, to Bonnie to the beautiful brunette across the room. "I hate what both her and Damon did to you."

"I know." Bonnie soothed, smiling from Stefan to Elena. "But that was two years ago. I've moved on –" she indicated pointing to Mason who stood not far from them talking with his nephew. As if he could feel their gaze, Mason looked up, sending Bonnie an intimate smile that had Elena look away with embarrassment. There was so much heat in that one look, so much intent in that one smile. Bonnie Bennett was definitely one lucky woman.

But then again so was she. Hugging his arm to her, Elena placed a soothing kiss on Stefan's shoulder, drawing his attention.

"You need to stop letting her get to you like this." Bonnie reprimanded, causing Elena to nod in agreement.

"She just aggravates me so fucking much!"

"I know, but you letting her put you in this mood, gives her all the power, and if there's one thing our Katy loves more than money it's –"

"Power." The both chorused, shooting each other a smile.

"Well power and Jackson." Bonnie finished, shooting them both a smile. "Don't let her get to you, Stefan." She told him, patting his arm and turning to watch as Mason literally stalked towards her, ocean blue-green eyes never leaving her face.

"Oh my gosh you two need to get a room." Stefan complained, deliberately looking away when Mason reached them and kissed her. Actually he devoured here. In front of everyone. "Like now!"

"There are none." Mason growled irritably, once he released Bonnie's mouth. "I've already looked."

Rolling her eyes at both her best friend and her boyfriend, Bonnie shot Elena an amused look.

"Bathroom?" Bonnie asked.

"Bathroom," Elena agreed, laughing as Stefan groaned.

"You're stealing my date, Bennett. You have yours why steal mine."

"Because if mine follows me to the bathroom, we'd most probably embarrass your father at his company do." She said cheekily, shooting a grin at Mason who looked all for that scenario.

"Ok, ew. Again!" Stefan complained.

Laughing Elena kissed him on the cheek.

"Won't be long." She assured him.

"I know." He leaned forward to kiss her hard. "Thank you. For that."

Elena shrugged. She hadn't actually done anything.

"I didn't do –"

"You were there for me. Thanks."

Smiling happily Elena kissed him, causing Bonnie to groan.

"And you complained about us!"

"Shut it Bennett!" Stefan growled, causing both girls to laugh.

Slipping her arm through Bonnie's, Elena walked with her towards the bathroom, unaware of the cold glare that tracked them from the other side of the room.

_**Yes, Aiden Waite is the same Aiden Waite that's on Being Human the US version. Saw this series online as we don't get it in NZ and totally love the relationship between him and Sally. But my Aiden is human, like everyone else in this story! Hehe… enjoy!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**My life, thank you to everyone that has reviewed! So so grateful! **_

Damon

He was gonna kill the little fucker, Damon Salvatore thought viciously as the wide-shouldered male smiled down at the tiny woman intimately. Yep, he was gonna smash the little fucker in his pretty boy face, rearrange it so when he tried to smile at Bonnie again, all she got was a toothless grin.

Yeah, that sounded like a great fucking plan.

Perking up at the idea, Damon took a step toward the sickening couple only to be stopped by the tall willowy figure of his mother, Sofia Salvatore.

"Damon." She greeted pleasantly, identical ice blue eyes boring into his.

The warning glare she gave him from a face so similar to his that he couldn't be mistaken for anyone else's son had him smirking.

They had the same inky black hair, the same ice blue eyes, and the same arrogant little smirk.

"Mama." He greeted, taking a sip from his glass, his eyes drifting to the irritating male that had his hands all over _**his**_ Bonnie.

"Back off, Damon." She told him, a polite smile on her lips as brushed a hand down the lapels of his jacket.

"Excuse me?" raising an eyebrow at his mother he glanced down at her.

"Leave Bonnie and her date alone." His mother said pleasantly, her smile easy and warm, her eyes hard and warning.

"I'm just going over to say hello to an old – friend –"he smirked at the word, his eyebrows dancing. "– and her – date." He finished distastefully, his glare going back to Bonnie and _**him.**_

"No."

Blinking Damon stared down at his mother, a tiny frown marring her brows.

"Ma –"

"No, Damon. You leave that little girl alone."

Damon chuckled remembering how much of a girl Bonnie isn't.

"Bonnie's no little girl, Ma." He laughed, wiggling his eyebrows. Instead of laughing his mom continued to stare at him. He hated that stare as a kid. It made him want to confess all his sins. As an adult it still had the same affect.

"Leave. Bonnie. Alone." She told him firmly, similar ice blue eyes glaring at him.

"Ma – I'm just –"

"No!" Damon blinked at his mother vehemence. "Leave her be, Damon."

"This isn't your business, Ma." He told her pointedly, grimacing at the cold look she shot him. He hated that look as a kid as well. It was the look she use to give him, just before she smacked him upside the head.

"Really Damon?" she asked him pleasantly, the smile on her face belying the irritation and anger in her eyes. "Because this is _**my **_party, you are in _**my **_house and that there is _**my**_ daughter. Blood or not. So if you create a scene in _**my **_house to _**my **_daughter –"she gave him a funny little smile that had Damon slightly nervous. "– I will make you regret it." She shot him a hard little smile. "And we both know that if anyone in this room can do that, it's me."

Scowling he glared down at his mom.

"You realize that _**I'm **_the one you gave birth to, right? That _**I'm **_your blood, not Bonnie." He asked her dryly. Really he should be use to this. His parents choosing Bonnie over him. It had always been this way.

"What I realize is that you need to leave her be. She's with Mason –"Damon's face darkened at the other man's name. "– Lockwood right now. She's happy. Leave her be."

"Ma –"

"No Damon." She bit out, glaring at him, her face hard. "I've held my tongue the entire time. Through the entire debacle of you cheating on Bonnie with her best friend, I've said nothing against you. When your father ranted and raged, I said nothing. When you and your brother fought constantly about this very same thing, I said nothing." She took a step forward, palming his face. "When I went to see Bonnie, two days after you cheated on her, and found her crying herself sick in bed, I said nothing. And when your son was born and she cut herself off from this family because of you, I said nothing." Damon stared at his mom, his heart racing. "You've hurt her enough, Damon. She's moved on. You need to as well."

"And what if I can't?"

"Can't or won't Damon?" his mother asked him, dropping her hands. "I've spoilt you, I realize that. I've made you believe that anything you want you can get with a little determination and a whole lot of stubbornness. So a part of what happened to a certain degree is my fault." She smoothed down her dress, her voice casual. "But this pursuit of Bonnie and making her life difficult ends now."

Anger licked through Damon as he clenched his jaw, refusing to comment. Bonnie had said a similar thing, about him being a spoilt little brat.

"Did you know that normally she would've come to me? Poured out her heart, cried a little. She didn't do that with this. Because I was _**your**_ mother. She didn't ask me to choose sides, so she suffered by herself. Your brother was too angry to comfort her. She couldn't turn to Katherine. Caroline and Rebekah were too busy plotting Katherine's death and Matt and Tyler –"Damon's face tightened briefly at the other two men's names." – They couldn't stay calm enough to be there for her. So, I'm telling you this now, Damon Giuseppe Salvatore. Don't cause a scene. Leave Bonnie alone. And pay attention to your own date." Leaning up she touched her lips to his cheek. "Don't push me on this Damon, because we both know who you got your ruthlessness from. And it wasn't your father." With a hard little smile his mom left, the warning in her eyes clear.

Jaw clenching with irritation Damon gripped the glass in his hand tightly, forcing the anger back. He knew his mom. She didn't issue threats she couldn't back up and she didn't make them lightly.

But she also didn't understand. Bonnie was _**his.**_ When was everyone going to get that through their thick heads? She had been his ever since they were kids and she pulled the chair out from under him because he did the same to Stefan and she was his now. Despite the fact she was now with another man and despite the fact that he was here with someone else.

His _**date **_was a gorgeous platinum blonde who was making her way back to him, her walk seductive and sensual, confident in her appeal to the opposite sex. Smiling at him intimately he watched with detached interest as she was stopped, her attention drawn to the heavily made-up wife of a Board Member to his father's company.

He couldn't remember her name. Casey, Christy or something or other. They had met at some club and she had made sure that Damon knew she was interested. So her name he couldn't remember. All he knew was she was a warm, willing body at the end of the night where he could slake the need that pulsed through his veins each time he laid his eyes on his ex-girlfriend.

And speaking of ex-girlfriend, there she was. On the other side of the room with Mason Fucking Lockwood, of all things.

He went to school with Mason. Well, actually Mason was a few years ahead of him, and he didn't like him back then and absolutely _**hated**_ the fucker now.

Swanning in like some fucking peacock, showing off to every male in the room that he had Bonnie Bennett on his arm. He annoyed the fuck out of Damon. Show off little fucker!

And to make matters worse, Bonnie seemed to enjoy his attention! Mason Lockwood was nothing but wave riding idiot who had no future, no aspirations and definitely did not have the star power that someone like him had.

Damon would walk into a restaurant and get immediate service. Go to a club – any club – and gain immediate access. Damon could command the best service at any high-rise establishment just by stepping into their building. Could the wave-riding fucker do that? He ranted internally. Damon had star power, Mason Lockwood had what? A surfboard and a small little condo in Miami. He was a nothing. Would always be nothing in Damon's eyes and did not deserve having someone like _**his**_ Bonnie on his arm.

Unfortunately for Damon it seemed as if Bonnie was as enamored with the little fucker almost as much as he was with her. Stupid, stupid female!

Scowling he dragged his attention from his ex and concentrated on the others around them. He needed to concentrate on something else, or he was liable to go over there and punch the fuckwit in his face, and create a scene is mom had warned him not to do.

He hated these little soirees his father insisted on every year. A thank-you-so-fucking-much to the company, everyone from the Salvatore and Sons Limited was invited. From the lowly mail clerk to the each and every board member, Giuseppe Salvatore threw a company party to end all parties.

Decadent food, great entertainment and liquor flowing like water. You also got to invite your other half, Giuseppe thinking that for his company to be as successful as it was, it was due to the dedicated workers, and their understanding family.

Yeah Damon thought he was just throwing his money away. These people were getting paid very well for what they did, and to further reward them for something they were getting paid for was something Damon didn't understand. It was just a waste of money.

Although if Bonnie were with him she'd say that a happy worker was a dedicated worker. And dedicated workers tend to go all out for an employer who appreciated him. Which was why his father was so successful.

Scowling as his attention went back to his ex, Damon downed the rest of the contents in his glass his eyes returning _**back**_ the figure of his ex-girlfriend.

Fuck she was so damn beautiful. Skin the color of dark brown sugar, Damon knew that it tasted just as sweet. Amazing green eyes that would change shades depending on her mood. Emerald green meant that his little Judgey was pissed. Garnet green meant she was amused, but it was that hunter green that he loved. Hunter green meant his Judgey was aroused. Hunter green meant he would end up being a very satisfied man.

Shaking his head, Damon plonked his empty glass down on the tray of a passing waitress that had been giving him the eye all night and grabbed someone else's drink off the same tray. Thankfully it was a glass of bourbon. Damon couldn't really stomach beer. Such a common taste, beer and if there was anything Damon wasn't, that was common.

"Sir that's –"the little redhead protested, pausing in mid-sentence when he turned crazy blue eyes on her, his glare causing her to scuttle away.

Turning he continued his – studying of Bonnie, loving the way she wore the hell out of that dress.

That tight, sweet body was encased in a deep red Alexander Wang jersey dress. And the only reason he knew that was because his date – Casey, Christy, _**Candy?**_ - commented on how that dress was a one of a kind. The dress stopped mid-thigh, showcasing the curve of her hips, the flatness of her stomach and those fucking amazing thighs. He remembered those thighs, tight around his hips as he ploughed into her. He also remembered those thighs tight around his shoulders as he bought her to completion, time and time again.

Jaw clenching Damon ran his gaze down her compact little body to the six inch black strappy pumps that had his mouth watering. Damon imagined her naked, with just those pumps as he fucked her against the wall in front of her little date while Damon staked his claim.

Yeah that was an image he'd like to sear into the fuckers brain. Damon fucking Bonnie with the _**Property of Damon Salvatore **_tattooed into her ass in big bold letters. He knew he should have tried harder to convince her to get that damn tattoo. Maybe then these idiots she seem to surround herself with would leave her the fuck alone.

Shaking off the image Damon concentrated on her face, his mood darkening at the smile she gave to the little fucker.

That had been his once, those smiles, those touches, that body. He had laid claim to everything that was Bonnie Bennett but as usual he had fucked it up.

And unfortunately he couldn't blame it all on Katherine like he was prone to nor could he blame it on alcohol.

He had been sober, Katherine hadn't. He knew who he was bedding, whereas Katherine had called him Stefan the entire time they were together. He did it to get a rise out of Bonnie, Katherine did it because she thought he was his brother.

His reasons were stupid. He was man enough to admit it, even if it was just to himself.

He had been a jealous idiot, stewing over a relationship that had he had been envious of his entire life.

Stefan and Bonnie. It had _**always**_ been Stefan and Bonnie. Ever since they were kids and Stefan had dragged her home like some long lost puppy. Big green eyes and a shy smile captivated him from get go, silencing the mocking comment on the tip of his tongue. Instead he had stared at her like a numbskull, wondering what it would take for her to leave Stefan crying in his room and come play with _**him.**_

It hadn't happened. He had made some comment about Stefan still wetting his bed and received a fierce frown, before she grabbed Stefan's hand and stormed to Stefan's room without saying another word to him for the rest of the night.

Over the years as he watched her grow from a little girl with bony knees, braces and a pretty good left hook to a woman with mouth-watering curves, a crooked smile and a right hook to match the left.

He watched as horny little terds started sniffing around a fourteen year old Bonnie, causing him to blacken a few eyes, and break more than a couple bones.

And he had watched as her and Stefan seemed to grow impossibly close, so much so that when he had finally convinced her to give him a chance, people would jokingly comment which brother she was actually with. Damon or Stefan.

It had pissed him off to no end. It was bad enough he had to share Bonnie not only with his brother but with everyone of her idiotic friends, now he had to put up with teasing comments about Stefan being the better brother for Bonnie. Shit, even his old man commented on it. And he wondered why, Damon couldn't stand him!

Damon had always been the type of man that was extremely possessive. He didn't like to share, didn't like that someone else had touched something that he considered his.

Bonnie use to say it was his poor little rich boy complex. Stefan called it his asshole complex. Either way he didn't like the fact that his girlfriend spent more time with his brother than she did with him.

Yes, they were best friends and had been since grade school but _**he**_ was her boyfriend. He should've come before any shit Stefan was going through and he should've been her top priority. Actually Damon thought he should've been her _**only**_ priority.

But unlike the many women before her, Bonnie Bennett didn't really give a fuck about what he thought she should or should not do. Which was probably one of the main reasons he loved her.

He loved how she could stand up to him with nothing but a hard little smirk and flashing green eyes. He loved how she refused to bow down to his every whim and told him to stop being such a baby. He loved how she would bite her lip, her neck arched, her nails digging into his shoulder just before she came, screaming his name.

But that same spirit he seem to love about her, he hated it just as much. He hated her independence. Hated how she never seemed to _**need**_ him. Hated the fact that every male seem to always take notice of her.

It was something that while going out with her, he had to put up with. Men, random men checking her out, shooting her a tempting smile or a flirtatious wink. He had caused more than a few club brawls because of it, causing Bonnie to shake her head at him.

But then he had to go a blow it all. His brain left, his jealousy took over and now here he was. Watching her making out with _**him**_.

Technically she shouldn't even be here. This was an employee only function and Bonnie wasn't an employee of Salvatore and Sons, but she was Giuseppe's unofficial daughter. She was in fact besides his mother, probably the only weakness his old man had. Probably the only female besides his mom who had the ability to wrap his hard-ass father firmly around his little finger.

So because she was family, she was invited to anything the Salvatore's put on. Birthdays, corporate functions, charity events.

And each time she came she had a different man on her arm. The first time it had been Stefan, the two best friends starting rumors that she had finally moved on to the better brother.

The next time it had been some idiot called Remy Lebeu, a red headed Cajun idiot who she met through her cousin Arianna.

She even dated some stupid bounty Hunter called Dean Winchester. The man's smarmy little grin making Damon want to bury his fist in the man's too perfect face.

One date had even been Elijah Mikaelson, Rebekah's older brother, who had to be at least a decade older than _**Damon. **_The older man seemingly not being able to keep his eyes off his date.

But the first time she had bought Mason along as her date, Damon had a feeling this was no one timer.

It had been at his father's 60th birthday party and he had known the moment she had entered the room. The hum of conversation stilted slightly, the hushed whispers linking both Bonnie and fucker's name together.

He remembered her introducing him to his mom and the dainty little blush that touched his mom's cheeks when the little fucker had complimented her. He remembered the dark scowl that usually adorned his father's face disappearing when the little fucker assured the old man that breaking Bonnie's heart was the last thing he intended to do. And he remembered watching them make out in the fucking broom closet wishing he had a stake so he could shove it through Mason Fucking Lockwood's heart and watch as the life slowly left his body.

He never wanted a man dead so much before. Because Damon knew that this man, this Mason Lockwood, was the man that would heal his Bonnie's heart. Little fuckwit.

"Damon?" turning he watched moodily as his date sauntered towards him, a seductive smile tilting her brightly painted lips. "Honey we should –"

"Don't call me that." He snapped at his date automatically, and for the life of him he still could not recall her name. Cindy? Candy? _**Christy?**_

"I – what?" she asked, a small confused frown crossing her face.

"It's pardon." He sneered slightly. "And don't call me honey. We don't nor will we ever have the type of relationship where it warrants you calling me honey."

The blonde's mouth opened and closed like a stunned fish before it firmed into an angry line.

"You know everyone said you were an asshole –"she spat, light green eyes glaring at him. He was sure they were fake. Just like her hair color.

"You should have listened to them." He commented, taking a sip of his glass.

"- and now I know it's true. Fuck you, Damon Salvatore!" she huffed, stomping her foot before storming away.

Damon watched her walk away dispassionately. Oh well, there was always the pretty little redheaded waitress.

Turning he watched as Bonnie planted a kiss on the little fucker's cheek and made her way across the room, her steps determined as she stepped between his idiot brother and his idiot brother's ex.

From the looks of it they had been arguing. Again. Stefan's face dark as he glared down at Katherine who looked like she wanted to hit him.

Stefan's little girlfriend, Elena, stood looking like doe caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck. And despite the fact that Damon couldn't stand Katherine anymore than anyone else, he found it weird that his brother's current girlfriend looked so much like his ex-girlfriend.

He may not like Katherine but even Damon had to admit that that was a bitch move from Stefan. To date someone that looked so much like his ex-girlfriend and rub that relationship in the said girl friends face. That's not something Saint Stefan would normally do. It's something _**he **_would do, but not Stefan.

But then again, when it came to Katherine, Stefan never did anything he would normally do.

Taking another sip of his glass, Damon watched as Bonnie defused the situation easily, her arm threading through Katherine's the smile on her face slightly forced.

They conversed and Damon watched interested as Stefan shot Bonnie an angry look. Stefan was never angry with Bonnie but whatever she said to Katherine had his idiot brother glaring at her.

Interest now piqued Damon almost made his way over only to stop abruptly when he saw his mom glide up to them.

He watched the hard look on his mom's face melt as Bonnie placed a kiss on her cheek before his mom strong armed Katherine away.

Situation diffused, he thought cynically, downing the rest of the contents of his glass. Licking his lips he watched his ex with his brother. He hated the easy camaraderie between the two and how Stefan reached over to flick Bonnie in the arm.

He hated how his brother's face softened as he listened to whatever the hell Bonnie was saying.

And he especially hated how all three turned and watch as the little fucker sauntered his way over to his ex-girlfriend and lay a kiss on her that had Stefan rolling his eyes in mock disgust and Elena flushing with embarrassment.

Rage building Damon sneered when the little fucker palmed the small of Bonnie's back possessively.

Fuck causing a scene, if the little fucker didn't remove his hands Damon was going to kill him in front of everyone and drag Bonnie out by the hair!

Jaw clenching and anger building Damon watched as both Bonnie and Elena move towards the bathroom, heads close together as they talked.

People stopped to stare at the two, men watching them with avid interest and women watching them with barely concealed jealousy.

Jaw clenching Damon's lips lifted in a slight snarl as Klaus Mikaelson walked up to the two, nodding his head at Elena he placed a kiss on Bonnie's cheek. Whatever he said had Bonnie slapping him, Elena turning away in laughter and Klaus grinning down at her like a loon. Shaking her head at the older man, Bonnie pointedly walked around him, her arm through Elena's as she ignored the mocking laughter coming from her best friends brother.

Fuck this, Bonnie needed a fucking spanking and he was the one to give it to her.

Heading towards the bathrooms, Damon avoided his mother, knowing if she caught sight of him she'll try and stop him, again.

Catching up to them, he watched as Elena went through the door first, Bonnie trailing after her.

Picking up speed Damon reached out and grabbed her arm, ignoring her squeak before he pulled her and propelled her into the middle bathroom – the one with the little baby on the outside - locking the door behind him and leaning against the closed door, hearing Elena call out Bonnie's name.

"What the hell Damon?" Bonnie snapped frowning at him, eyes narrowed.

"We need to talk without your little lapdog around." He told her pointedly, his gaze running over her hungrily.

Bonnie rolled her eyes at him folding her arms across her chest. He had always admired her sass. Admired it and hated it in equal measures.

She had never backed down in any of their arguments. It wasn't in her.

She would always stand very much like how she was now, legs braced apart, arms folded across her chest and eyes blazing green fire.

Shit, he never wanted her so much.

"About what?" she asked him.

"Us."

She laughed at him without amusement.

"Damon, there is no us. There hasn't been no us for a hell of a long time."

"I get it ok?" he said frustrated, running a hand through his hair. "I fucked up. Its time for you to stop being a stubborn little fool and come back!"

Bonnie blinked, staring at him.

"Are you – did you. Are you crazy?" she asked exasperated. "Are you actually serious? Is what's coming out of your mouth classic Damon crap or is that what you actually believe?"

Damon crowded her, forcing her against the wall and planting both hands on either side of her head.

Instead of leaning away from him she glared.

"I'm fucking serious. This little tantrum you've been throwing for the last two years is over. I get it. I'm sorry. Drop your little toy and it's time for you to come back. To me." He finished his eyes on the firm line of her mouth. Shit she looked way beyond pissed and well into angry. He never wanted her more.

Shaking her head at him, Bonnie planted both hands against his chest and pushed.

Smirking Damon barely moved instead he grabbed both her hands and placed them agasint the wall, his chest to hers, hip to hip causing little Damon to stand up and take notice.

"You are _**insane**_!" Bonnie told him glaring up at him. "We're not together. We will never _**be**_ together. Not again. I'm with M –"

Damon's eyes flashed dangerously as he slapped his hand over her mouth.

"Don't say it." He warned.

Scowling at him she gripped his wrist trying to move it. When he wouldn't budge she dug her nails in the sensitive underside of his wrist causing him to wince and drop his hand.

" – Mason." She finished strongly. "I'm with Mason now."

"Little surfer boy out there?" he sneered down at her. "Do you really think he can take care of you Bonnie? He's a bum!"

"Actually he's the head of Claytonics." She told him smugly. "You've heard of them right? One of the leading company's for computer software, personal computers, smartphones. One of Apple's BIGGHEST rivals."

"Bullshit. That little fucker can't even plan his way out of a paper bag."

"Your ignorance is showing Damon." She smirked. "Mason's middle name is Clayton. He founded Claytonics right out of high school."

Damon blinked, stunned for a moment before he sneered.

"And I'm sure the Lockwood name had nothing to do with his success." He sneered. "And Claytonics? What the hell kind of name is Claytonics?"

Rolling her eyes at his stupid-ness, Bonnie pushed at his chest again, huffing when he refused to budge.

"You're annoying me Damon." She warned.

Leaning into her, Damon's lips touched the side of her cheek, drifting over her skin lightly. It was something that use to send shivers of awareness over her entire body, making Damon want to chase them.

Muttering under her breath Bonnie gripped the hair at the base of his neck, pulling hard.

"You know that only turns me on Bon." He whispered against her skin.

"Get off me Damon. Now." The coldness in her voice made Damon pause.

Leaning back he took note of the warning glare, before his mouth decided to act before his brain.

"I'm willing to forgive you Bonnie." He told her pointedly. "Forgive the fact that you allowed that mutt of a human being lay between your legs and that you've been throwing a childish tantrum for the last two years. It's time for you to grow up and come back to where you belong. With me." He finished watching with morbid fascination as those green eyes he loved so much turned dark until they were almost black.

"Well don't say I didn't warn you." She said pleasantly just before her knee slammed hard into his crotch. Pain exploded over him as he grunted a curse, falling to his knees.

"Fuck!" he wheezed, pain radiating through his balls.

Staring at him unsympathetically, Bonnie stepped past him, deliberately bumping him hard so he fell on his side, his face smushed into the bathroom floor.

"You know what I'm sick of, Damon?" she asked him, going to the basin and washing her hands, ignoring her withering ex on the bathroom floor. "I'm sick of you. Your dramas, your selfishness, I'm just sick and tired of the drama that is you." She grabbed some paper towels from the dispenser, drying her hands, checking her make-up in the mirror before throwing the damp towels away.

"Let me put this to you straight Damon, in Laman's terms so to speak." She turned back to him watching him wither on the ground.

"I loved you." She told him honestly. "I won't deny that. I _**refuse**_ to deny that. You were my first love." She leaned back against the sink, staring at him. "The possessiveness I could get over, the jealous rages I could understand. Even the blatant stamp of ownership whenever I was around anything that was male, I could get –"she told him, her face earnest. "– but we aren't together anymore Damon, so these insane spurts of stupidness you insist on showing, not my problem. Not anymore. You don't get to say what I can and cannot do or who I can or cannot see. You couldn't do that when we were together and you sure as hell can't do that now." She moved towards him, bending down she swept his hair off his forehead.

"You cheated on _**me.**_ With my best friend." A snarl curled her lips as she glared down at him. "Not with some random chick you picked up at the club or even your hot ass secretary who while we were going out was throwing you 'fuck me' signals all over the place. But it was MY BEST FRIEND." She dug her index finger into his forehead pushing him over again. She shook her head, standing. "I knew you were petty Damon, after all I grew up with you, but to sleep with my best friend just too deliberately hurt me, because I refuse to do what you want when you want, that's insane. _**Insane**_." She said slowly. "And I'm over it. I'm over you." She patted him on the chest condescendingly. "I'll admit it took a long time, but I have Mason now. And he – he is what I want. _**He**_ is what I need. So it's time for _**me**_ to be selfish and go after what I want. And I want Mason." Throwing him a look she stepped over him unlocking the door. "Bye Damon."

Pulling it open Damon wasn't all that surprised to see the little fucker leaning against the door frame lazily, eyes sweeping over Bonnie and then moving to Damon. Elena must have ran to tell him that Damon had all but kidnapped Bonnie. Stupid little twit.

"You alright, baby?" the little fucker asked, smirking at the sight of Damon on the floor in pain.

"Couldn't be better, Boo." Bonnie answered, smiling up at him. "Let's go, Damon's a bit – indisposed at the moment. Let's give him a bit of time to get himself together."

Without even a glance back Bonnie left, closing the door behind her firmly behind her. The last thing Damon saw was the little fucker's smug face as the door closed.

Groaning Damon got to his feet gingerly, the pain in his crotch excruciating. Son of a bitch she packed a punch.

Placing a hand on the ground he pushed himself to his feet, resisting the urge to cringe at the fact he had been on a public bathroom floor.

This wasn't over, he thought darkly, making his way to the mirror. Not by a long shot.

_**Hmmmmm hope you liked this. I'm so-so about it. Writing from Damon's point of view was actually a little hard. So many different takes on it running around in my head, so many different directions to go down! So please read and review! Thanks everyone!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Wow, just wow! Thank you everyone for the reviews and the kind words! And everyone seems to be putting in their two-cents about who Bonnie should end up with, and even though when I started the story and had one relationship in mind, it seems to be changing!**_

_**There are still quite a few people's perspective I want to write from so there are still a few chapters to go.**_

_**To Stacie (guest) I love a jealous Damon too and thought the whole tattoo thing would totally be a Damon thing to do! daddygal15 – I know Imma big Gambit fan as well! That sexy accent, those eyes. Mate! A few have wanted to see from Mama's point of view and what thou wants, thou gets… kind of! Hehe.**_

_**Sofia Salvatore**_

Her son was an idiot. A tall, stubborn, arrogant, stupid, self-absorbed idiot. And she wished she could say that he got all those 'brilliant' traits from his father's side. But unfortunately the majority of those lovely, lovely traits, _**especially **_that arrogance that seem to seep from Damon's every pore, he got from her. Or more accurately, he got that from her father.

Damon was the living embodiment of her father Alessandro Giordano, Snr.

Tall, broad incredibly good-looking, Damon had his grandfather's charisma and his grandfather's drive. It's what made him so good at what he did. But he also had that same arrogance that made people want to pop him in the face. Her mama, who usually was so placid and gentle, tended to still pop her daddy upside the head. And both were well into their sixties.

Her daddy and Damon weren't exactly people, people. Everyone tended to get on their nerves a little too much. They drew people to them, but shoved them away at the same time, having absolutely no patience with anyone they didn't deem worthy of their time and their efforts. Which was why they left dealing with people to others. Her daddy had her mama to help calm the waters, and smooth the ruffled feathers. And Damon use to have Bonnie. Use to, until he went to go and stuff that all up. Stupid, stupid boy.

Shaking her head, Sofia Giordano Salvatore watched her eldest son limp gingerly from the bathrooms deliberately avoiding her gaze.

Despite what he thought she had seen him follow Bonnie into the bathrooms. Damon wasn't exactly known for his covert missions. He was too much of a drama king to go undercover. He liked the limelight a bit too much.

But when she saw him strutting towards the bathrooms after his ex-girlfriend, Sofia resigned herself to the fact that for such an intelligent child, Damon could be so bloody stupid. It was that male Giordano stubbornness. It made you stupid. Made you so bloody single minded that you were blind to anything else but your own needs and your own wants.

And if there was one thing Sofia was sure of, was that her child wanted Bonnie Bennett in the worst possible way.

He always had. Everybody knew that as a child he use to claim Bonnie was his, but only Sofia knew how serious he was. When Damon wanted something he didn't stop until he got it. And if you got in his way, then more pity you, because if he had to walk over you to get it, he would. That was her daddy, through and through. Don't get in their way or you will regret it.

And there was just something about Bonnie that drew both her sons to her.

For Stefan it was that of a sibling. He was her defender – even though more times than not, she didn't need it – and the brother she never wanted. Bonnie words not hers.

For Damon it was so much more. She was to Damon what her mama was to her daddy. Although Sofia would say that her daddy wasn't thick headed as Damon. Nor as annoyingly stubborn.

She use to watch them all as children, watching as Stefan and Bonnie would huddle away in the corner, heads together giggling softly.

And she use to watch as Damon watched them, his face dark with what could only be termed as jealousy.

Bonnie being Bonnie use to try and include him in everything her and Stefan did, but Damon being Damon wouldn't do it if Stefan was involved. And Bonnie wouldn't do it if Stefan _**wasn't**_ involved. It was a stalemate that neither would budge on and it found Damon left out of whatever the younger two were up to.

Sofia knew that that had rankled Damon to no end, Bonnie choosing Stefan over him, which made him pick on Stefan even more. He didn't like being second choice to anyone, especially not his younger brother.

When it came to her boys, there was sibling rivalry and then there was what Damon and Stefan had.

She blamed Giuseppe. He had been bought up with a healthy dose of sibling rivalry so he thought what was good for him must be good for his sons. But he didn't factor into the equation Damon's personality.

Damon had the type of personality where it was win at all costs. He took things personally – sometimes too personally – and he absolutely didn't like to share.

And _**that**_ was her fault.

She would be the first to admit that she had spoilt her eldest to a degree where he turned out to be that child everyone hated.

He had been her miracle child. After so many miscarriages Damon had been the one to survive.

She and Giuseppe had been married for five years before Damon came along and their marriage had begun to show signs of strain.

Sofia had been like Hannah in the Bible. Longing for that one child that would make everything better. And when she gave birth to Damon she thought everything would be better.

And for a time it had. But the cracks in her marriage began to show, and she had overcompensated by lavishing her attention on Damon.

But if Damon was her miracle child then Stefan was her reconciliation child, because once Stefan was born those cracks that had been so prominent in her marriage slowly began to fill and began to heal. And suddenly her and her husband were as much in love with each other as they had been on their wedding day.

But by the time Stefan had come along, Damon was use to being an only child and having his mom's full attention. And he hadn't like the little upstart that took that attention away from him.

And then as Damon got older; he and his father began clashing until Damon all but outright defied anything his father said.

There were many times – although in the privacy of their bedroom – when Giuseppe would rant that Damon was _**her**_ son and Stefan was his.

So if Damon and Stefan didn't get on, then Damon and his father sure as hell didn't.

Tilting her head to one side she stared at her eldest child her heart going out to him as he watched Bonnie with such hunger and so much heartbreak that Sofia wished she could just go over there and take him into her arms. Soothe him like she use to do when he was a child and kiss away all his hurts.

But he needed to learn. Needed to learn that he couldn't just lash out in jealous anger and expect to get away with it. Needed to learn that not all women will forgive him for his infidelities just because of his looks and his wallet. Her son needed to know that everyone in this world was not there for him to trample on and that they needed to get the fuck over it.

She knew that he was more than surprised when Bonnie refused to take any of his calls. Refused to hear any of his excuses and refused to forgive him for sleeping with her best friend.

Women were fools when it came to her eldest son. They allowed him to walk all over them and even gave him room to do it again.

But Bonnie had been different. Because despite the fact that everyone thought Bonnie was the sweetest little thing out – and she _**was –**_ she also had the will and the temper to match Damon in every way.

She remembered when Bonnie was sixteen, and Sofia had asked Bonnie to be the Salvatore Debutante. It was the one event in Mystic Falls that every mother dreamed of. Show casing their daughter at the Mystic Falls Ball.

And although technically Sofia didn't have a daughter, everyone in Mystic Falls knew that the Salvatore Debutante would be Bonnie.

Sofia also knew that the only reason why Bonnie agreed to do it was because Sofia had asked, and Bonnie could never say no to her. None of her kids could.

She remembered stumbling in on Damon teaching Bonnie how to waltz and remembered the tender way he stared down at her.

"_Come on Bennett, it's not that hard." Damon had said, rolling his eyes. "I've seen you dance, unlike B1 and B2, you can actually move!"_

"_Hey!" Bonnie frowned up at Damon, slapping him on the shoulder. "It's Caroline and Rebekah. Use their proper names!"_

"_You know what I'm saying is true." He mocked, doing his crazy eyebrows thing. "I think I'd rather watch Urkel dance than them!"_

"_You're an idiot." Bonnie told him firmly, standing in front of him._

"_Yes but you can't prove it." He teased, running a finger down the length of her nose, and tapping the tip, dodging her slap._

"_Can we just please get on with this?" Bonnie complained one hand on her hip. "I want to get this over and done with."_

_Holding up her hands, she stared up at Damon expectantly. Shaking his head down at her, Sofia watched as her son placed one large hand on Bonnie's tiny waist and cupped the other hand with his._

_He dominated her tiny frame, yet his whole stance was protective as he stared down at her._

"_You know you could tell my mom no." Damon said pointedly, moving gracefully. _

_Sofia watched as Bonnie stared down at their feet, a small frown of concentration on her face._

"_Can __**you**__ say no to your mom? Because I know __**I **__can't." she told him._

_Bringing the hand on her waist up and without breaking stride, Damon tilted her face up to his gently, a slow smile crossing his face._

"_Eyes on me." He chided, his thumb brushing against her chin softly before he brought it back down to her waist and nudged her closer. "And I say no to my mom all the time." He smirked._

"_I call bullshit on that one." Bonnie said dryly, her eyes flicking downwards before moving up to stare into Damon's again. "There is no person on God's green earth that can say no to Sofia Salvatore."_

_Damon's smile widened as he drew Bonnie closer._

"_I just say it when her back is turned and make sure she's far enough away from me no to pop me upside the head."_

_Rolling her eyes at him, both fell quiet as they moved beautifully together._

"_So, I take it my little brother is escorting you to the Mystic Falls Ball?" Damon asked a slight edge in his voice._

"_Nope!" Bonnie replied popping the 'p'. "Tyler is. Stefan's going with Katherine, Matt's Rebekah's date and I can't remember who Caroline's going with." She lifted slim shoulders. "Ben something or other."_

_Sofia grimaced at the dark look on her son's face at the mention of Bonnie going to Tyler Lockwood._

"_You're going with Lockwood?" he had bit out, his face even but his eyes blazing._

"_Yep, as soon as mama coerced me into going, stating something about showing Mrs. Forbes and Mrs. Mikaelson up, I rang Tyler and begged him to go with me. Ty's fun and he always has a stash of something with him." Bonnie laughed._

_Sofia had frowned at that, wondering exactly what stash Tyler Lockwood had._

"_You are not to get high with that little ingrate, Bonnie!" Damon had snapped at her, coming to a stop. "In fact you are not going with __**him**__ to the ball. Cancel the date, I'll go with you." He ordered._

_Bonnie had folded her arms across her chest, staring up at her son pointedly._

"_Don't get like this, Damon. You've lasted 40 mins without me wanting to smack you. Leave it alone."_

"_You want me to allow you to go out with that little druggie? Hell no!" he sneered getting into her face, and Sofia shook her head. Instead of asking, Damon had dictated. No wonder Bonnie was forever hitting him._

"_I want you to leave it alone. Tyler is one of my closets friends. If I want to go with him to the ball then I will."_

"_No." Damon had said determinedly._

_Throwing up her hands, Bonnie turned to walk away from him._

"_This conversation is over." She snapped back at him._

"_Not by a long shot little girl. If you won't end the date then I will!"_

_Sofia shook her head at her son's ultimatum. Sometimes he said the stupidest things._

"_You interfere in this Damon, and you will regret it. Remember who bailed you out that time in Cabo when you got caught with that under aged model. Remember who sweet talked the authorities into letting you go and remember who kept your secret not only from your dad but from your __**mom**__ as well. Don't push me on this Damon, because I know all your shit and I'm not afraid to use it." She shot him a scathing glance before flouncing out of the room, leaving behind a visibly seething Damon. _

Sofia had smirked, already aware of what happened in Cabo. Not much happened in this family that she didn't know about. So all that 'shit' that Bonnie knew about Damon, Sofia knew as well.

Blinking Sofia studied the girl that was her daughter in every way but blood. She watched as she laughed at something Mason said, the hand on the other man's arm affectionate yet possessive.

Many wondered what it was about Bonnie that made both Sofia and Giuseppe claim her as theirs. For her husband it had been when eight year old Bonnie asked Giuseppe to be her date to the father daughter dance.

For her it had been at first introduction when she had stared up at Sofia with those big green eyes, gave her that shy smile and thanked her for allowing her to stay for dinner.

She had impeccable manners. Her son's – even though they had been taught to say thank you – barely used them. And the more time Bonnie spent at their house, the more time Sofia spent with her. Bonnie often coming over _**just**_ to spend time with her.

Sofia knew it was because she missed that motherly influence. Just like how Bonnie loved spending time with Giuseppe because she missed that fatherly influence.

She had met Bonnie's father Rudy once. He was such a cold man. He barely gave any time to his daughter preferring to spend most of his time at work. And once Bonnie got old enough to be on her own, he spent most of his precious time out of town, leaving a fourteen year old Bonnie to fend for herself.

When Giuseppe had found out from Stefan that Bonnie was home alone, she had barely been able to restrain him from finding Rudy and beating him to a pulp. Instead she had driven over to the Bennett household, told Bonnie to pack some clothes and that she would be sleeping at the mansion until her father got back.

Bonnie had protested saying that she didn't want to put them out. Sofia had given her just one look that had Bonnie hastily packing her bag and jumping into the car without another word.

Sofia couldn't understand how a parent – _**any parent**_ – could leave their fourteen year old child at home by herself to fend for herself. She was fourteen for goodness sake. Bonnie should be worrying about grades, and boys, not about cooking her own meals and making sure that the house doesn't burn down.

And it made her wonder where the hell Bonnie's mother was.

Sofia remembered the day she had tracked the woman down and found out that Abby had a whole new family. Abby hadn't wanted to know the daughter she left behind saying that her new husband didn't know she had been married before or that she had a child. She made it seem as if Bonnie was a dirty secret. Sofia had barely resisted slapping the insolent woman in the face.

So she had hopped in her private jet, flown back to Mystic Falls and made sure that even though Bonnie may not be a Salvatore by birth, to Giuseppe and Sofia, she _**was**_ their daughter.

Which was why, when Bonnie had started dating Mason Lockwood, both Sofia and Giuseppe had made sure the man knew exactly what he was getting into. Hurt Bonnie, Giuseppe had a bullet with his name on it and Sofia already had his burial plot mapped out. Make her happy and he would remain alive and well.

To his credit, Mason had taken the warning well. And to his credit, Bonnie never looked happier.

But the memory that stayed most in her mind was the day Bonnie had called her to tell her Damon was in the emergency room and Stefan was in jail for putting him there.

When she had questioned what had happened, Bonnie had gone quiet on the other end of the phone, and Sofia knew at that moment that Damon had done something wrong. And when she found out what that something was, Sofia knew that what Damon had done was deliberate. It was his way of trying to rein Bonnie back in and show her that she didn't have the control. He did. And if he wanted to sleep with her best friend then he would and Bonnie would just have to deal with it.

He could be such an idiot at times.

She had gone to see Bonnie a few days after the debacle only to find her in bed, crying her eyes out, crying herself sick. Sofia's heart had broken in that one moment as she drew the sobbing girl into her arms and tried to soothe her, her own tears clogging her throat.

Bonnie wasn't a crier. When she had heard that her mom had another family and basically didn't want to know her, she had shrugged her shoulders and carried on. When her father forgot to ring her on her birthday or called to say that he'd be spending Christmas in another city, Bonnie would just take a deep breath and soldier on. That was the way she was.

But this, this had broken her in a way that at the time Sofia wasn't sure she'd ever recover from.

But she had. If anything Bonnie was a survivor. She had survived her mother's abandonment, her father's indifference and she had survived Damon's infidelity.

And it had taken some strength for Sofia to not to try and slap some sense into her oldest child. Especially when Bonnie stopped coming over, stopped coming to their monthly family dinners and basically stopped communicating with both her and Giuseppe. As it was she barely talked with Stefan and that drove her youngest son crazy.

And while Bonnie was surviving, Sofia had been appointed as family fire fighter. Constantly putting out any flare ups between Damon and Stefan, Damon and Giuseppe, Damon and _**anybody**_. Normally she had Bonnie to help her, but with Bonnie cutting herself off from the family that responsibility now rested with her.

She had been so disappointed in Damon. While the others voiced their opinions loudly, she had remained quiet, because she knew that the others would all take Bonnie's side. And they had a right too.

But her son would have no one, and despite the fact that she wanted to slap him silly for hurting the girl she considered as _**hers**_, Sofia had remained quiet. Silently lending her strength to her son, even though he didn't deserve it.

And when Bonnie had missed not one but _**two**_ family dinners she still said nothing. And when a few months later Katherine had announced that she was having Damon's _**son**_, she had held her tongue.

Giuseppe however had no restrictions. He had all but disowned his own son and refused to acknowledge Katherine's unborn child as a Salvatore.

It wasn't until Bonnie had shown up to the house four months after the debacle to talk to him.

"_You can't do that to him, Giuseppe." Bonnie had told him, those once bright green eyes, dull and flat. "He's your son."_

"_What the hell is with this 'Giuseppe' business!" her husband had all but roared. "You have never called me Giuseppe. It's papa!" he laid his hands flat on his desk in front of him, leaning towards her. "And I can do anything I bloody well please!"_

_Taking a deep breath Bonnie stared at him._

"_You're about to have your first grandson –"_

"_He is no grandson of mine!" he ranted._

"_Don't blame him for something his parents did." She finished ignoring Giuseppe's interruption. Sofia hid a smile as Bonnie stood, leaning forward she placed a kiss on Giuseppe's forehead. "For me, papa. Forgive him for me."_

_Sofia watched as her big, hard-headed, arrogant husband literally melted as he stared into the green eyes of one tiny little girl._

"_You come to this month's family dinner and I'll – consider it." He told her._

_Annoyance flickered across Bonnie's face as she stared at him._

"_Papa –"_

"_Take it or leave it, Bonnie." He told her firmly._

_Sighing, Bonnie had stepped back, staring at Giuseppe._

"_Not this month. It's too – soon. You accept your grandchild and try and forgive Damon and I'll show up to next month's dinner."_

"_Pinky swear!" her husband demanded holding out his beefy pinky finger. Sofia held back a smile. It was their thing. The Pinky Swear. Giuseppe had told her once that a nine year old Bonnie forced him to Pinky Swear that he wouldn't punish Stefan for something she had done. And surprisingly Giuseppe had agreed._

_A smile quirked Bonnie's face as she stared down at Giuseppe's hand._

"_Pinky swear, papa." She told him, her own pinky gripping his._

And she had kept her side of the bargain, even though Giuseppe had struggled with his side.

That first dinner had been awkward. Filled with tension, anger and hurt. Damon snarkily trying to provoke a reaction out of Bonnie, Bonnie ignoring him blatantly while trying, with Sofia to stop both Giuseppe and Stefan from beating Damon up.

Yes, her eldest son and a first class idiot.

"What did your idiot son do now?" the deep voice of her husband sounded off behind her, causing her to glance over her shoulder at him.

If Damon looked like his grandfather, then Stefan definitely took after his father. The same, sea-green eyes, the same high forehead, the same heart melting smile.

"You always call him _**my**_son when he pisses you off." She told him archly, stepping into his loose embrace.

"Because he _**is**_ your son. He barely tolerates me." Giuseppe lifted broad shoulders. "That's why Stefan is _**my**_ son and Bonnie is _**our**_ daughter. Speaking of Bonnie, her and Lockwood must be getting serious. This is the – what fifth family event she's bought him to? Should I be worried?"

"He's a good man, Seppe." Sofia told him, turning back to watch the couple in question. "He treats her like how she deserves to be treated, won't take any of Damon's crap and lets Bonnie be whoever she wants to be."

"He'd better." Giuseppe muttered darkly. "That girl has been hurt enough. I won't allow her to be hurt anymore."

It was comments like that, that made father and son sound so much alike.

Resting his chin on her shoulder, Giuseppe watched their son watch Bonnie.

"He's not gonna get over her is he?" he asked his wife softly, watching as his eldest son continued to glower at Bonnie and Mason.

"Probably not." Sofia answered honestly. "He really loved her, Seppe –" she raised a hand knowing what he was about to say. " –and I know he shouldn't have cheated on her and I know you think he's an idiot but I can honestly say that Damon really loved Bonnie." She glanced sideways at him. "I don't condone what he did Seppe. But I can't deny that Damon's feelings for Bonnie was anything less than love."

She felt rather than heard her husband take a deep breath.

"I know you think that I'm hard on him. And I am. And I know _**he **_thinks that I don't love him but I _**do.**_" He wrapped her tightly in his arms bringing her still slender body into his. "He's my son and I love him like crazy but we've allowed him to think that he can do anything he wants and not face the consequences." Turning her around Giuseppe stared down at her.

"And you think that's _**my**_ fault?" Sofia asked him archly.

"No, I'm about as much to blame as you are." Sea green eyes peered down at her. "Everything he's done in the past we've either covered up or we've paid people off. That's made him believe he's untouchable." He glanced at their son again, shaking his head. "Hell, even Bonnie use to cover for him. But he needs to grow up, Sofia. He's a man now, he can't bank on acting out like a child and expect to get away with it." He cupped her face, kissing her lightly. "Do I believe he loves Bonnie with everything that is in him, yes I do. But do I believe he deserves her after what he did to her. No, I don't." he stared into her eyes, his face solemn. "You and I both know that him sleeping with Katherine was not only about Bonnie. It was about Stefan as well. This was Damon acting like a child and expecting everyone to forgive him."

Sofia took a deep breath before smiling up at Giuseppe.

"I know. And I agree. It just breaks my heart to watch him suffer like this."

"And you wouldn't be a mother if you didn't." large thumbs caressed the high arch of her cheekbones. "We _**have**_ to let him deal with this on his own, or he's not going to learn. And from the looks of it, Bonnie has the situation well in hand." He smirked.

"I think there should be a law about parentals and public display of affection." A teasing voice interrupted the two causing Giuseppe's brows to lower in irritation.

"Little girl." He snapped, the affection in his eyes belying the gruffness of his tone as he mock-glared at Bonnie.

"Old man." She snapped back teasingly causing Sofia to roll her eyes at the two.

"What the hell do you want, little girl?" Giuseppe growled.

Laughing Bonnie slipped her arm around Mason, shooting him a look.

"We're gonna be going –"

"What! No!" Giuseppe protested.

"Papa it's late and I'm tired." She whined. Sofia chuckled as Giuseppe shook his head.

"No, family is the last to leave. You and the boy are family so you and the boy will stay."

Mason chuckled staring down at Bonnie.

"I told ya." He laughed.

"Shut it." She slapped him. "Papa –"

"No!" taking a step forward he glared at her. "You're trying to run away." He told her quietly.

"I'm not running anywhere, Papa." She told him.

"Then you stay."

"Papa!"

"Enough." He made a cutting gesture. "Now come, I want you to meet someone. Maybe you can sweet talk him into donating towards that silly charity of your mother's." ignoring Bonnie's pout and Mason and Sofia's laughter, Giuseppe grabbed Bonnie by the arm, wheeling her towards a rather large man with a bad toupee.

Shaking her head at the two, Sofia's eyes fell on Damon once again, noticing the storm brewing behind his eyes as he stared at his father and Bonnie.

"What am I going to do about you, Damon?" she murmured quietly, shaking her head. "What am I going to do?"

_**Well hope you enjoyed that! Just to give you the heads up next one will be from Rebekah's perspective. But hopefully I will be able to get the next chapter of Power Plays out first!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Thank you everyone! The response to this story has honestly been amazing. So amazing that I've hit a road block in Power Plays because this is the only story I can think about at the moment! I know! I'm sorry! I will try and update Power Plays soon. But in the meanwhile. Enjoy the next chapter of The Choices We Make….**_

Rebekah

Rebekah Mikaelson had always known that Damon Salvatore would one day be the one to break Bonnie Bennett's heart. Just like how she knew that Mason Lockwood – or hot Uncle Mason as her and Caroline _**loved**_ to call him – would be the one to help heal it.

She could see that heartbreak coming from a mile away. Could see the way Damon tried to dictate every move Bonnie made, and then increasingly get angry when she didn't do what he told her.

Calling him a control freak would be putting it mildly. Damon was sooooo much more than a control freak. He was OCD to the extreme, excessively possessive and just plain crazy. And if there was anyone who knew crazy, it was Rebekah. Her brother Kol had a PhD in it.

Rebekah would be the first to admit that Damon was out of this world hot. It was those freaking eyes. Ice blue orbs that contrasted with the darkness of his hair, and the fairness of his skin. The man was scorching.

Add the hair and the eyes to that body and Rebekah could understand why so many girls fell under his spell. But when you add in his asshole personality suddenly his undeniable hotness turned lukewarm. Because if her brother Kol had a PhD in crazy, Damon Salvatore had a freakin doctorate in being an asshole.

It seemed like it was a part of his genetic make-up. Pissing people off. Stefan barely tolerated him, despite the fact they were brothers, Matt and Tyler refused to be in the same room as him, especially after the debacle and Caroline tried getting Bonnie's Cajun cousin Arianna to make a voodoo doll of him. Of course Arianna refused, but only after Bonnie threatened her. Caroline really should have asked Callie. Callie would've made one and taught Caroline how to use it and laughed at Bonnie's threats.

But Damon just seemed to have that special something that pushed everyone's buttons. Actually he stabbed at them continuously cackling like the Joker off an old Batman movie.

He was arrogant, irritating and a gold winner in the asshole Olympics.

But if there was one thing Rebekah would give the man, was the way that he loved Bonnie Bennett.

She had been his everything. No one existed outside of her. Women would literally strip naked in front of him and if Bonnie was in the room, he barely spared them a glance.

Rebekah remembered the day they saw Victoria Secret model, Angel Stevenson in her brother Klaus' club. The tall blonde had taken one look at Damon, sauntered over to their small group, ignored the fact that Bonnie was in his lap and propositioned him.

Damon had glared at her for her rudeness, commented something about liking his women real and not plastic and then proceeded to kiss Bonnie like they were in his bedroom instead of a jam-packed full nightclub, causing all the boys in their group to look away uncomfortably and the women to roll their eyes.

For Damon it had always been about Bonnie, which was why she was surprised he had stepped out on her. She thought that when they broke up – and yes it was inevitable – it would be because Damon pissed Bonnie off to such an extreme that she would've dumped his ass.

But for them to break up because he cheated on her. Yeah, that surprised the hell out of Rebekah.

Maybe it was because he was just so – possessive with her. He barely tolerated anyone with a dick, 16 years up to be around her. He would snarl and snap at any male that got too close and especially if they were names Stefan, Tyler and Matt.

At first both her and Caroline thought it was hot. To have such a possessive boyfriend would be _**such**_ a turn on, but when on more than one occasion, Damon and Bonnie got into an all out argument because of that same possessiveness – yeah not so hot anymore.

Bonnie was the type of girl, men immediately took notice of. Small, compact with curves that even _**she**_ envied, Bonnie warranted a second, third and sometimes even a forth look.

It was something Damon never got use to. It was something Damon _**refused**_ to get use to. Sharing wasn't exactly Damon's strong suit.

But when Rebekah got a call from Caroline to say that Damon had cheated on Bonnie with _**Katherine**_, Rebekah knew that Damon's move had been more than a momentary lapse of judgment. Rebekah knew that Damon wanted to hurt Bonnie in the greatest possible way.

Why? Because he was an asshole. Because he wanted to show Bonnie and to show everyone else, Bonnie wasn't the one in control of that relationship.

He was.

He wanted to show Bonnie that either she toe the line, _**his **_line, or he'll move on to the next person. And there will always _**be**_ a next person. He wanted to show Bonnie given the first chance her friends will turn their backs on her and betray her and all she needed was him.

And who better than with Katherine who valued nothing but her daddy's bank account and her relationship with Bonnie.

Even Rebekah had to admit Katherine being the other woman was a surprise. But when Damon lashed out, he lashed out good.

And then he had the audacity to try and come to both Rebekah and Caroline to try and get them to plead his case. Yeah, right! Like they would do that! They could barely stand him when he _**was**_ going out with Bonnie; there was no way in hell they were going to help him out so that he could hurt her even more.

And when they refused to help him out, the mutha-fucker tried blackmailing them.

Fortunately for both Caroline and Rebekah, Klaus' had interrupted them and basically told him to piss off, or Bonnie will find out about the little interlude of him blackmailing her best friends.

And once people found out about what happened they whispered if Bonnie would ever be the same after that. Whether or not Damon had stripped her of her happiness and her vibrancy. Those people didn't know Bonnie Bennett that well.

Sure there were times when Caroline and Rebekah had to literally force Bonnie into the shower and drag her into the world of living but both Caroline and Rebekah knew that Bonnie would eventually get over it. All she needed was space, time and the knowledge that her girls were there for her no matter what.

And they were. Her, Caroline and even to some extent Elena had been there to help Bonnie through one of the toughest times in her life.

Because, at the risk of sounding very, very cheesy, that's what friends were for. To be there through thick or thin, and to find ways to hide the bodies.

And they had it all planned out. Matt would slip poison into Damon's bourbon while serving him at the Grille late Thursday nights when no one else was there to see, Tyler would 'help' him home, depositing his now dead body down the old well on the outskirts of the Lockwood property while Caroline and Rebekah would swear black and blue that they had been with Matt and Tyler the entire night, thus providing both boys with a much needed alibi.

Unfortunately the opportunity never arose because Damon was too busy stalking Bonnie to show his face at the Grille.

It had been a pretty dark time for Bonnie but like the survivor she was, Bonnie pulled herself out of the doldrums and stepped back into the land of the living.

And Rebekah was proud to say that her friend was now very happy_**.**_ Deliriously, disgustingly, stupidly happy. Really it was enough to make one barf. The goofy grin, the constant touching, the disgusting public displays of affection.

Actually it was enough to make a single girl like her want to stab herself in the eye. Either that or stab _**them**_ in the eye.

Rebekah grinned at her over the top reaction to one of her closets friends' happiness. If truth be told though Rebekah was happy that Bonnie was happy.

After the shit that Damon put her through Bonnie deserved it. She deserved Mason.

The relationship she had with Mason was different to the one she had with Damon. With Damon's it was intense, passionate and full of his jealousy and her trying to smooth his ruffled feathers.

With Mason it was an equal partnership, laughter, fun and enough passion to make even her blush. And Rebekah didn't blush easily.

With Damon there were bouts of intense arguments, throwing of furniture and intense making out sessions.

With Mason there was good-natured teasing, a lot of pouting on Bonnie's part and equally intense making out sessions.

With Damon, Bonnie was constantly stopping him from getting into fistfights with his brother, Tyler and Matt.

With Mason Bonnie was constantly hitting Stefan, Tyler and Matt for all ganging up on her with Mason.

With Damon their relationship was a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, twists and turns and Bonnie constantly had to fight with Damon's ego and his jealousy.

With Mason there was just her and Mason.

Not to say that Bonnie and Mason didn't argue. They did, but she was sure Mason just argued with Bonnie because he thought a pissed off Bonnie was a sexy Bonnie.

Yeah Mason Lockwood – or _**hot **_Uncle Mason – was the much needed balm for Bonnie Bennett's wounded soul.

"Ok we just caught old people fucking." A female voice complained causing Rebekah to pause in her musings.

Turing she watched as her brother Klaus sauntered towards her, with Caroline in tow, both falling into their seats beside her.

"What?"

"Old people. Fucking." Care told her. "In the men's toilet." Caroline shuddered causing Rebekah's lips to quirk in amusement.

"They need to leave – _**that **_"she waved a hand. " – at home. Behind closed doors. Far away from here."

"So says the girl who got caught screwing my brother on our father's home office desk." Rebekah told her, watching as her brother's grin only got wider.

"Ah yes." Her brother sighed, his accent more pronounced than hers. "That was definitely a night to remember." He leered at Caroline who rolled her eyes at him.

"Yeah but they were _**old **_people. As in decades older than _**my**_ mom." Caroline whined. "It was like watching Geriatric Porn."

Rolling her eyes Rebekah paused.

"Okay _**two**_ things. One, _**Geriatric Porn**_. Really? And two, why did _**you **_catch them doing it in the _**men's**_ toilet?" Rebekah asked, one brow raised.

"I was wondering when you'd pick that up, Councilor." Klaus laughed, one long arm at the back of Caroline's chair.

"Ok, so we were – " Caroline paused. "He was –." Frowning she started again. " – Klaus –"

"I don't really want to know." Rebekah told her, shaking her head, ignoring Caroline's faint blush and Klaus' silent laughter.

"Don't want to know what?" a female voice asked coming up beside them. Rebekah grinned at Mason and Bonnie occupy the other two chairs at the table.

"Caroline was about to take advantage of my brother in the men's toilets." Rebekah told Bonnie blandly ignoring the look Caroline sent her way.

"But instead we caught old people fucking!" Caroline interrupted holding her hands up dramatically. "Like two energizer bunnies!"

Bonnie blinked staring at her friend.

"I don't even know what to say to that." Bonnie admitted.

"It's disturbing, that's what it is!" Caroline insisted. "It's like it's seared into my brain, burning an image so that I can't – no _**won't**_ forget!"

Rebekah and Bonnie shared a look, amusement in both their eyes.

"And the Oscar goes to –"Rebekah and Bonnie announced, causing both Mason and Klaus to laugh. Caroline always did have a flair for the dramatic.

Caroline was the dramatic one, Rebekah the sarcastic one, Katherine the bitchy one and Bonnie the sane one. Or at least that's what others thought.

"Bitches, the both of you!" Caroline scowled, the laughter in her eyes belying the scowl on her face.

"Dammit, I thought you were going to get us out of here." Stefan complained coming up to the table with Elena and Tyler behind him.

Rebekah's breath hitched resisting the urge to sigh at how good Stefan looked in his tux.

Dammit, she thought she had gotten over this stupid little crush. Thought that she hammered it out of her head and her heart the moment Stefan started dating Elena. Dammit it all to hell.

She didn't know exactly _**when**_ she began noticing Stefan but she did know that watching him with Elena was not something she could stand for long periods of time.

Growing up with him he had just been Stefan, goofball – albeit a really cute one – who flirted with both her and Caroline.

The last few years he was _**Stefan**_, hot but-already-taken Stefan. Hot, close friend Stefan. Stupid, stupid hormones.

"I _**tried**_." Bonnie told him, bringing Rebekah out of her musings. "But he wouldn't listen to me!"

"What good are you if you can't get the old man to say yes!" Stefan muttered, pulling out a seat for Elena before grabbing one for himself. Rebekah licked her lips, ignoring the pull of attraction she felt whenever she was around him.

She didn't need this. He was taken, his ex was still very much in love with him, and he would never see her as anything more than close friend.

Nope, she didn't need this at all. In fact Rebekah needed to take Kol's advice and get laid. She wondered what Aiden was doing tonight.

"You know you _**could**_ ask yourself." Bonnie pointed out to Stefan.

"Yes but he _**always**_ says no to me. You're the favored child not me." His eyes narrowed as he stared at her. "And what's this I hear about you trying to shove Damon's nads through his throat. How come _**you're**_ allowed to beat him up and I'm not?!"

Everyone stopped, turning to Bonnie who was smirking.

Rebekah resisted the urge to grin. It amused her how people thought Bonnie was just so fucking sweet. And to a degree she was. But Bonnie was also a BAMF. Something that only those close to her knew. Something that Damon obviously forgot.

"What are we? Nine? And he wouldn't take no for an answer." She lifted slim shoulders, smirking.

"He's an idiot." Stefan muttered, glaring at his brother from across the room. Rebekah turned to see Damon staring straight at Bonnie, like a stalker who needed his next fix. Damn that was creepy.

"That's a given." Tyler rumbled. "And does anyone else find it creepy that he just stares like that?" he indicated to Damon, voicing Rebekah's opinion. "It's like he trying to figure out the best way to kill us off, dispose of our bodies and kidnap Bon."

Rebekah chuckled, mainly because that's _**exactly**_ how Damon looked.

"He looks sad." Elena offered up, blinking when four pairs of eyes glared at her, one of them being her boyfriend.

Shaking her head Rebekah glared at the brunette.

"He looks like an idiot." Caroline bit out. "Damon doesn't have the capacity for sadness. It's a façade to garner sympathy. Don't be fooled by the face, Elena. Because it'll deceive you every single time."

Elena blinked at Caroline's vehemence her eyes flicking to Stefan who looked away from her is disappointment.

"I was just saying –"

"Well, don't." Rebekah told her. "He's like Lucifer. Pretty to look at but he'll drag you to the pits of hell with him, laughing the entire way."

Elena flushed.

"Guys, chill." Bonnie told them. "Elena's allowed her own opinion –"

"Just as are we." Caroline shot back.

"Without being tried and convicted for it." She pointed out.

Caroline's eyes narrowed as she folded her arms over her chest and huffed. Yeah Rebekah had the same sentiment.

"Are you four going to pout all night or are we going to try and figure out a way to see if we can sneak out of this party?" Bonnie asked her four friends, her eyes on Stefan. "The Clubs are calling me as we speak!"

"You should ask mom." Stefan told her, shifting slightly away from Elena. By the look on her face, Elena could tell she had done something wrong but had no clue as to how to rectify it.

"No _**you **_should ask mama." Bonnie told him, pointedly. "I asked papa."

"Yeah but –"Stefan whined, pouting.

'No."

"Play you." He told her, leaning forward, his left hand out, palm up and his right hand in a fist and on top of his left. Rebekah rolled her eyes. They had been playing this game since they were eight and continued to play in well into their twenties.

Bonnie rose a brow.

"You know you always lose." She told him, leaning back in her chair. Mason slipped a muscled arm along the back on her chair drawing her closer.

Rebekah watched as Bonnie settled against him, shooting him a warm smile before turning back to Stefan.

"I don't _**always**_ lose. I just _**sometimes **_win." He shrugged. "Statistically I should win."

"Statistically. Four syllables I'm impressed." Bonnie teased. "Just don't cry when I win." She warned him, earning a chuckle from Mason and Klaus.

"Yeah because snot and tears, so not your thing." Rebekah told him, ignoring the way her heart tripped over when he shot her a smile.

"You'll love me anyways, right Beks?" Stefan asked her, winking.

_You have no idea_ Rebekah thought, instead she rolled her eyes at him.

"Okay, on three." Everybody watched as Stefan and Bonnie banged their closed fists on their open palm.

"One, two, three!" Bonnie counted her eyes on Stefan's face as her paper won to his rock.

"What the hell?!" Stefan complained. "Okay. Best out of three."

"Stefan, really?" Bonnie drawled, bored.

"Yes, best out of three!" he insisted.

"Dude, you're gonna lose. Again." Tyler told him. "Let it go already."

"No, best out of three." He said stubbornly.

Bonnie sighed, raising her hands again.

"Best out of three." She agreed.

And when her scissors won to his paper and then her paper won again to rock, Stefan slumped, defeated.

"We told you." Caroline sang, poking her tongue out at him when he made a rude gesture.

"I can't believe you won three out of three!" Stefan grumbled.

"Well, I did, now go." She jerked her head towards his mother who was busy talking with one of the board members wives.

"Dang it." Stefan muttered. Standing he shot Bonnie a dirty look before sauntering towards his mom, a smile on his face, Elena trailing after him.

"When is he going to learn that you cheat when you play that silly little game?" Klaus asked Bonnie, his mouth quirking into a smile.

"Technically I don't cheat." Bonnie pointed out, shooting him a smile. Rebekah marveled over Mason's reaction. Damon would've scowled darkly, glaring at Klaus like he fucked Bonnie in front of him, made some sarcastic comment that would've had Bonnie telling him to act his fucking age.

Mason just laughed, a large hand playing with the strands of Bonnie's hair.

"Have you told him how you win, every single time?" Caroline asked, one blonde brow raised.

"Hey is it my fault he's so easily read?" Bonnie pouted.

"Okay, I'm clueless." Tyler confessed, frowning.

"Bonnie's figured out a way to predict what Stefan's is going to do every time they play." Mason told his nephew.

"When Stefan plays paper he bites his lip, when he plays rock he frowns, when he plays scissors, he narrows his eyes. Nine times out of ten it's a fail safe indication." Bonnie shrugged.

Tyler began laughing.

"That's so sneaky. Bonnie Bennett hustler." He laughed, grinning when she winked at him.

Shaking her head at her friends Rebekah's eyes travelled to Stefan's tall figure, her eyes narrowing in on Elena.

The tall brunette stood beside Stefan, listening as mother and son converse, but her eyes drifting to Damon who sat scowling at the bar, his eyes on Bonnie.

Something passed over the brunette's face as she stared at the older Salvatore. Something Rebekah recognised. Because she saw it on every other female's face every time they looked at Damon.

Fascination. Female admiration. Reluctant attraction.

Shit, not good. Definitely not good.

Rebekah didn't have a problem with Elena per se, but much like Katherine, Rebekah probably saw more than Elena was willing to show.

And the way Elena kept glancing at Damon, Rebekah had a feeling that whatever was going on in her pretty little head was going to mean more drama for their close knit little group.

_**So I couldn't resist. I had intended in keeping Elena sweet and good and in a Stefan-relationship only… but really who am I kidding? I can't write a nice-Elena. It's just not in me! Read and review please. And next chapter – Katherine.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Lolz, so how special are yous that you get the very next chapter in the same day. I'm here at work, supposed to be working on work stuff and instead this refuses to leave me! So I had to get it out so that I can actually do some work! There are warnings for this chapter, however! It's a chapter that delves into why Katherine is the way she is and it might not be pretty. Enjoy!**_

Katherine

Was it even possible for someone to die from envy? Could one call what was pulsating through her veins at that very moment envy? Because it was an all consuming emotion, making her entire body freeze and an invisible hand clutched at her heart, squeezing it ever so tightly so breathing became a struggle.

Maybe envy was too mild-a-word for what was pulsating through her veins at the moment. The Bible would call in covetousness, and according to her ultra-conservative grandmother it was a sin. Actually, according to her ultra conservative grandmother, Katherine was, as ACDC would put it 'On the Highway to Hell'.

Her daddy, the great and oh so wonderful Grayson Pierce, would call it straight up jealousy. And that Katherine was very much like her two-timing whore of a mother, consumed by jealousy and greed.

Yeah, Katherine knew it for what it was. Resentment. She resented the fact that she was no longer part of the laughter and the teasing from the group a few tables away, and her doppelganger was.

Lips twisting into a sneer, she glared moodily at the woman that seem to be taking over her life. _**Elena fucking Gilbert.**_

She sat in her place beside her boyfriend talking to her best friend. Really it was enough for Katherine to want to slap the stupid little wannabe in the face.

Unlike everyone else, she saw Elena for what she was. An opportunist little gold digger trying to infiltrate her way into a life where she really didn't belong.

And it was more than obvious.

They may be able to dress the little doppelganger up, and throw a little makeup on her, but you can't hide the fact that little Miss Elena Gilbert was out of her depth.

She had that fish out of water look and no it did not look attractive. Those big brown eyes seemed even wider, making her look like a cartoon figure. That naïveté that Katherine was sure Elena thought made her look cute actually made her look stupid. But it was what was _**beneath **_that innocence look that got Katherine. That was a look Katherine was all too familiar with. Hunger, greed, want.

Katherine had seen that look on her face the first time she met her. She had seen past the innocent smile to the calculating bitch beneath because if there was one thing that was true. Only a true bitch could recognize another one.

Shaking her head, Katherine's eyes wandered to Bonnie, this time a genuine smile crossing her face.

She looked happy. Sitting beside probably one of the only males alive that could give Damon Salvatore a run for his money in looks, she looked content. Mason Lockwood had been the one to replace the cold hurt rage that had once burned in Bonnie's eyes to one of contentment and happiness.

And Katherine was glad. If there was anyone who deserved happiness it was Bonnie.

She knew people didn't get hers and Bonnie's friendship. Bonnie, sweet, loving, loyal, Katherine class A bitch.

But what those people didn't know was that Bonnie Bennett saved her at a time where Katherine seriously had considered taking her life.

Not even Stefan knew the kind of life Katherine had grown up in. He knew the basics but not the details.

She had wanted for nothing, materially. Her father was Grayson Pierce, of Pierce Property Management. There were two people in the Real Estate world that made headlines. Donald Trump and Grayson Pierce. Both were business geniuses, both were stupidly rich. Both had a reputation that preceded them.

But whereas Katherine was positive Donald Trump loved his children, Katherine was equally positive her father hated her.

Her mother had walked out on them when Katherine was barely a month old; citing that motherhood was not for her and she had ran into the arms of her father's best friend and partner, James Sutherland.

She was still alive, somewhere, still with James Sutherland from what she heard but to Katherine, Katia Pierce had died the day she walked out on her husband and her new born baby.

And to her memory her relationship with her father had always been a volatile one. It was like he blamed _**her**_ for her mother walking out on them. And as Katherine got older and started to look more and more like her mother, his resentment and hatred grew until one night it had all boiled over.

Katherine had just turned sixteen, and Bonnie had staged a sleep over for Katherine's birthday. A sleep over that only Bonnie had shown up to. Not that it had bothered Katherine. Out of all their friends Bonnie and Stefan were the only ones she could stand for long periods of time.

Caroline was too annoying, Rebekah was too sarcastic and Matt and Tyler were too idiotic.

Stefan she had been in love with since they were little and Bonnie was the only one who didn't mind Katherine's bitchiness or her selfish tantrums.

So it was just her and Bonnie, the next night would be her big birthday bash, a party that everyone who was anyone would be at. That would be the party for everyone else. This night was just for her and Bonnie.

So they had rented movies, bought snacks and Katherine had stolen a bottle of Tequila from her daddy's supplies.

It had always amused her how people thought Bonnie was just so fucking innocent. _ Bonnie Bennett would never touch alcohol. _

Yeah right, Bonnie Bennett was usually the one who bought the alcohol.

Katherine had been setting up for their movie night in the theatre room; Bonnie had been upstairs taking a shower when Katherine's father had literally stumbled into the room.

It was a yearly ritual with her old man. Her birthday would roll around, he would get off his face drunk and throw insults at Katherine like they were tossing around a ball.

But this year. Shit, this year had been different.

"_Well, well, well." He had sneered, alcohol reeking from his every pore. "If it isn't my lovely, innocent baby-girl." He mocked, eyeing her in her Hello Kitty pjs. "Happy Birthday, Kath–er–rine." He drawled, stumbling towards her._

"_You're drunk." She told him bluntly, nose wrinkling in distaste. He stressed her name in three syllables when he was drunk. Probably because he thought it would annoy her._

"_Brilliant observation Kath–er–rine." He mocked. "Who knows you might be able to do more for a job than lay on your back with your legs open."_

"_One could only hope." She told him deadpanned. She was so over this. Every year on her birthday he would get drunk, find her and tell her she was going to be exactly like her mama. A two timing whore, a silly little bitch, blah, blah, blah. It was starting to get old._

"_You uppity little bitch –"he snarled taking another step towards her._

"_Well that's a name change; normally I'm a __**silly **__little bitch." Katherine mocked. "Or a two timing whore." She smirked at him. "So what did you get this year for your birthday Katherine?" she asked, one eyebrow raised her voice deeper. "Oh I got a new name. Uppity little bitch. Nice doncha think?"  
_

_Her father's lips drew back in a snarl as he grabbed her arm and hauled her closer._

"_You think you're so fucking smart, don't Katia?" he slurred, calling her, her mother's name. Katherine frowned, blinking at her father._

"_That you running off with __**my best friend**__ makes you better than me!" his voice got louder, as his grip tightened painfully, and he began to shake her harder. "You two timing fucking whore! I gave you everything! Money, a home. I pulled you out of that trailer park you called a home and made you a fucking queen! And what did you do?" he spat, spittle flying, eyes crazed with alcohol and past memories. "You ran out on me! You fucked my best friend! And left me your bitch daughter! Is she even mine?!" he raged shaking her._

"_Dad –"_

"_No! Shut the fuck up. It's about time someone taught you a lesson –"he began pushing her into the oversized theatre chairs and for the first time, Katherine began to panic._

"_Dad –"_

"_SHUT UP!" he screamed, pulling at her clothes. "Such a fucking bitch, taunting both Jamie and me. I see the way you smile at him –"_

"_No! Leave me alone! No!" Katherine began to struggle, causing Grayson to slap her hard. Stunned Katherine lay there as her father began pulling at her clothes, lost in the past, thinking she was her mother._

_He had hit her in the past, as a kid, but when teachers began questioning the bruises he had stopped, worried about what it would mean for him and his reputation. So started the verbal abuse._

"_I'll teach you!" he mumbled. "Yeah I'll teach you!"_

_Katherine opened her mouth to scream only to hear a loud thunk, and suddenly her father slumped over her, knocked out._

_Bonnie stood behind him, a bust of Shakespeare in her hands, green eyes blazing fire._

"_Bonnie." She sobbed, struggling to get out from beneath her father's weight._

"_Katy." Dropping the bust Bonnie took hold of her father's hair and the back of her father's shirt, pulling, not caring that she was probably yanking her father's hair from his scalp._

"_Bonnie." She sobbed, and Katherine felt warmth surround her as Bonnie held her._

"_Katy, oh my gosh. Katy." Bonnie whispered, staring down at her father's prone form with something close to hatred in her eyes._

"_He – he – he –"she hiccupped staring at her father's prone form. "Is he dead?"_

_Detangling herself from Katherine's grip, Bonnie leaned over, feeling for her father's pulse, a grim look on her face._

"_No, unfortunately." She muttered. "I'll call Sheriff Forbes –"_

_Katherine felt a blind moment of panic. No one could know about this. Who would believe them? Well, she was pretty sure they'd believe Bonnie, but people would think that Katherine deserved it. No, it was too humiliating. _

"_No!" Katherine shook her head._

"_Katy, he just tried to rape you!"_

"_No. I don't want anyone to know." Katherine told her firmly, desperately trying to gather her wits about her._

"_Katy –"_

"_No Bon." Katherine snapped, causing Bonnie's eyes to narrow. "I don't want ANYONE to know about this. Promise me, that you'll tell no one." And when Bonnie remained quiet, Katherine grabbed hold of her hands. "Promise me Bon."_

And even though Bonnie didn't like it, Bonnie hadn't told a soul. Bonnie did however have a Come to Jesus moment with Grayson Pierce.

A few days after Katherine's big birthday bash where Katherine had been determined to push the memory of her father's hands all over her out of her head, little Bonnie had dragged Katherine to her father's office, charming her way past her father's bulldog of a secretary Miss Munroe.

Her father's secretary hated her, probably as much as Katherine hated her but as Bonnie flashed those pearly whites at the old battleaxe Katherine had watched as the hardest woman known to man, practically melt and allow the girls past without an appointment.

"_I thought I told you – what the hell are you doing here girl?" her father practically spat, glaring at Katherine while ignoring Bonnie._

"_I dragged her here." Bonnie told the older man, sauntering towards her father, a hard little smirk on her face._

_Katherine watched as her father's eyes narrowed watching Bonnie, his eyes running over Bonnie's form. Shuddering with disgust at the male interest in her __**old**__ man's eyes, Katherine reached out to grab Bonnie, only to have her dance out of her reach._

"_We, Mr. Pierce, are going to come to an agreement." Bonnie told him, throwing herself into the chair opposite him._

_Eyebrows raised high, Grayson Pierce stared at sixteen year old Bonnie Bennett with dark amusement._

"_Oh is that right little girl?" he drawled, leaning back in his chair and arms folded across his brawny chest. Despite the fact that the man was rapidly approaching his mid-forties he still kept himself up, managing to look like someone ten years younger. _

"_Yes we are." She nodded, confidently. "See that 'incident' that happened a few days ago is going to remain a – one off thing." She told him, eyes on his, face calm and serene. "No more placing your hands on Katherine, no more verbal abuse and no more getting drunk and screaming at someone who obviously has nothing to do with what happened to you in the past."_

_Anger and rage suffused her father's face, causing Katherine to take a cautionary step forward to warn Bonnie._

_Instead Bonnie held up her hand, stopping Katherine._

"_See people tend to underestimate me." She told her father. "Sixteen years old, a child really, sweet, innocent." a slow smile crossed Bonnie's face as she smirked at her father. Katherine had seen the smirk before. On Giuseppe Salvatore's face. "But what people tend to forget is that I may have been born a Bennett, but I was raised a Salvatore." Katherine watched as something close to fear flashed in her father's eyes. If there was one man to fear, it was Giuseppe Salvatore. Because even though Grayson Pierce was a successful businessman in his own right, Giuseppe Salvatore was who her father aspired to be. "And I have wrapped around my little finger THE most powerful man in the business world." That slow dark Salvatore smile widened, but those dark green Bennett eyes flashed warningly. "You are here because of Katherine's misguided attempt of protection. You are here because I deem it worthy for you to be here. Hurt her again –"that smile hardened as her eyes became like emeralds. "– and I can and will make your life very, very difficult. Do we have an understanding Mr. Pierce."_

_Shock covered her father's face before he sneered at her._

"_Are you really ready to play hard ball with the big boys little girl?" he sneered, getting to his feet and leaning over his desk. It was a classic Grayson Pierce intimidation tactic. He literally towered over Bonnie by a foot and a few inches and was probably three times her weight. But obviously Bonnie didn't scare easily._

_Instead her obviously insane best friend, stood to her full 5 foot 5 height, placed her hands on her father's desk and leaned towards him, face inches from his, that Salvatore sneer firmly on her lips._

"_The question should be are you really ready to play hard ball with a Salvatore, Mr. Pierce?" Bonnie returned smoothly. "Because I can guaran-damn-tee you, you will lose." Eyeing him with disgust, Bonnie leaned back. "I don't like repeating myself, Mr. Pierce. So don't make me do something, you will regret."_

_And with that Bonnie sauntered out of her father's office, leaving behind a stunned father and an equally stunned best friend._

And that there. That there was the reason why Bonnie Bennett was the only one that deserved Katherine Pierce's loyalty.

Too bad, Katherine had failed her. Just like her father had told her she would. Katherine didn't deserve having someone like Bonnie in her life, and the day would come when Bonnie realised that.

Blinking as her phone interrupted her dark thoughts, Katherine glanced at the screen noticing it was a call from home, a rare warm smile crossing her features as she answered it.

"Jackie?"

"Yes, Miss Pierce. Hold on, I'll put him on."

"Mama?" Katherine blinked, love washing over her as she listened to her son's voice. He was now the only thing that mattered in Katherine's life. The only thing.

"Hiya Baby." She greeted softly, her eyes drifting back to Bonnie and Stefan.

An amused smile crossed her face as she watched them play paper, scissors, rock. They had been playing that game since they were kids, and Stefan hardly ever won. In fact the last time he had won, they had been twelve. Stefan and Bonnie had been playing for the last slice of cake. And Katherine had been almost certain Bonnie had felt sorry for Stefan and let him win.

"Come home, mama?" the little boy asked hopefully, drawing her attention to him.

Katherine never knew she could love a one person as much as she loved Jackson Salvatore. But she did. He was her everything.

"Soon, honey. Mama needs to be here for just a little while longer." She told him, already imagining the pout forming on his lips.

He looked like her, with his father's amazing eyes. His temperament however, Katherine didn't know where the hell he got that from. Neither Katherine nor Damon had ever been that innocent or that sweet.

"Mama I miss you!" the little boy told her, causing Katherine's heart to squeeze.

"I know baby. But you be a good boy for Jackie and tomorrow, tomorrow maybe we can go see Aunt Bonnie." Bonnie had told her about hooking up the next day. Hopefully that wasn't just for appearance sake.

"Auntie Bonnie?" yeah that kid was all Salvatore. Like all the other Salvatores, Jackson had a soft spot for Bonnie Bennett.

"Yeah, baby. Now get some sleep. I'll come and kiss you goodnight when I get home, okay."

"Okay, mama. Love you!" Katherine closed her eyes and her son's unfretted declaration of love. That was something she never had, and now that she did have it, there was no way in hell she was letting it slip through her fingers.

"Love you too baby."

What she had told Stefan earlier was true. She DID regret the way Jackson came about but she would never, ever regret him. He was her life and despite the fact that his father was an ass, Jackson would always know he was loved by her.

Licking her lips, Katherine's eyes darkened with past memories.

She didn't remember sleeping with Damon. Despite what others thought going there with Damon was something she would have never done, sober.

But drinking down a bottle of the Salvatore Brother's best bourbon while on antibiotics had lead to a blurry set of memories that Katherine was still trying to figure out.

What she _**did**_ remember was Stefan slamming out of his apartment, throwing over his shoulder that she had been nothing but a booty call. And now that he had Elena, she wasn't needed anymore.

And that shit hurt. So Katherine did what any other Pierce before her would've done. Drowned her sorrows.

She did remember falling into Stefan's bed, stripping naked waiting for him to come home. She didn't remember Damon crawling in after her, and fucking her like she was a mission he had to complete.

Katherine wasn't under any illusions that Damon found her attractive. No he wanted to get back at Bonnie for something – and made sure that it hurt like hell in process.

But Katherine had a feeling Damon didn't expect the fall out that happened.

Bonnie refused to talk to him. Stefan had beaten the crap out of him. His father practically disowned him. And his mom, although she had been there for him, she had refused to help him when it came to getting Bonnie to see reason.

And then there was her. She had been ostracized by the only people she could even remotely call friends. Stefan hated her even more than he had before, and Bonnie. Bonnie refused to even acknowledge her.

She had been so alone. Alone during her entire pregnancy, alone during the birth and even alone a few weeks afterwards. Damon was too busy trying to win Bonnie back to even care about his son, her father had just laughed at her and other than Bonnie, who understandably refused to talk to Katherine, Katherine had no body.

But the day she held her newborn son in her arms, was the day she promised he would want for nothing. Money, love, affection. Nothing.

A month AFTER she had given birth, Katherine and received a visit from Stefan's mom and dad, Giuseppe standing on her doorstep glaring at her like she were the devil himself and Sofia asking her politely if it were possible for them to see Jackson.

And because Katherine wanted Jackson to have everything she hadn't she had allowed said yes. And she was glad she had, because Giuseppe and Sofia doted on him.

Damon came to see his son after his parents had, but even Katherine could see he had probably been forced to by his mother.

Jackson had screamed his head off causing Damon to hastily hand him back to her. From that moment on Damon had come to see his son once a week. Spent about half an hour with him and then left. Probably to go back to his Bonnie-stalking.

And there was Bonnie. Even after all Katherine had done to her, Bonnie had sent flowers. No note just flowers. And she knew they were from Bonnie because only Bonnie knew her favorite flowers were sunflowers.

It hadn't been until recently Bonnie had started reaching out to her. And that was something Katherine wasn't going to take lightly. She wanted her friend back. More than she wanted even Stefan back.

Blinking Katherine's eyes fell on Elena once more, noticing that even though she stood with Stefan, her eyes kept straying to Damon. The was a certain look of curiosity on the other woman's face that caught Katherine's attention.

She knew that look. It was the same look many women before her wore when they stared at any one of the Salvatore brothers. Feminine interest, slight intrigue.

But Elena was with Stefan. Looking at your boyfriend's brother with such female appreciation was so a no-no. That's something even Katherine wouldn't do.

But that look, shit that look was going to get Elena in a whole lot of trouble.

A slow smile crossed Katherine's face as she watched Elena lick her lips, while staring at Damon.

Yeah that was something Katherine couldn't _**wait**_ to see.

_**So I'm a failure! Like I said before I INTENDED to write a nice Elena but yeah, that so isn't happening! I can't help it! Although from a few or your reviews you agree with me making her into her true self! Hahaha… So I'm gonna ask for a vote on who you all wanna hear from next. Bonnie I'm saving til the very last chapter. I'm thinking Mason, Tyler, Caroline or maybe even Klaus! Read review and let me know! **_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hello, everyone. So a few have asked for Tyler's POV so here you go! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, you really are awesome and hopefully I'll get the next one out very, very soon!**_

Oh how the mighty have fallen, he thought, inwardly laughing his ass off at the blue eyed man on the opposite side of the room who was scowling like he got his favorite toy taken away from him.

Yep, fallen like a house of cards in front of an open doorway. Crumbled like an old department building in the wake of a 5.0 earthquake.

And was he amused? Hell yes, because Tyler Lockwood knew that everything Damon Salvatore was going through right at this moment, the anger, the rage and the jealousy, was because he fucking deserved it.

The man was an idiot. A stupid, fucking idiot. Because honestly only an idiot would cheat on someone like Bonnie Bennett. Only an idiot would think that he could sleep with his girlfriend's best friend, get that said best friend pregnant, treat Bonnie as if she were shit and expect her to get the fuck over it.

And if there was anything that Tyler was absolutely positive of was that Damon Salvatore was a fucking idiot.

Or, as Klaus would say, Damon Salvatore was a fucking twat. A _**stupid**_ fucking twat.

Because when Damon went out and deliberately hurt Bonnie by sleeping with her best friend, Damon suddenly became public enemy number one with a big ole red target on his back.

And there were five archers with arrows that had his name on them.

Because despite all the in-fighting, the rumors, the arguments and every other shit they had gone through, Bonnie, Caroline, Stefan, Rebekah, Matt, and him had been a family. A dysfunctional one, but family all the same.

And while every one of them had a certain role in their dysfunctional family, Bonnie had always been the heart. She was the one everyone went to with their problems.

It was Bonnie the one he went to when he found out – at the age of fifteen - that the rumors swirling about him and Matt were true and that Matt was actually his half-brother.

He remembered the almost uncontrollable rage, not because Matt was his brother but because as usual his father did whatever the fuck he wanted despite who got hurt in the process.

He remembered her not saying much, she just sat and listened, didn't judge and wrapped him in a hug that had him clinging to her like a lifeline.

He also remembered her being his first kiss at the tender age of fourteen, and realizing that it felt funny. Not a that's-kind-nice-and-I-want-to-do-it-again funny but more like I-wonder-if-this-is-what-it-feels-like-to-kiss-you r-sister kind of funny. It was something neither of them tried or wanted to do ever again.

But after what they had all termed as the debacle, Bonnie had closed herself off from her best friends, refused to talk to any of them and slowly started pulling away from them.

And none of them knew what to do. Bonnie would've known what to do in their position, but what did one do when it was Bonnie the one that was hurting?

Tyler wanted to react the way he would normally react. Go to Damon's apartment and beat the shit out of him. Matt unfortunately was the common sense in their brotherhood, because he pointed out how was that going to help Bonnie.

Although it was Matt that suggested when they first found out, that they should just poison Damon and do away with his body.

And it pissed Tyler off how people whispered like little bitches about whether or not Bonnie was strong enough to get over it. Of course she was strong enough. She was Bonnie Fucking Bennett. She may be sweet and too fucking good for an idiot like Damon Salvatore but she was a survivor.

And those little bitches that loved to talk behind their backs but not to their faces could go suck ass. Because Bonnie Bennett had survived. Just like he knew she would.

And while Bonnie had been the heart of their group, Tyler, was what the girls would call the 'brawn' or the muscle of their group. The one who offered intimidation when needed. The one who when the girls dates got a little too frisky, would go in and scare the shit out of them.

He and Matt had a good cop, bad cop routine. Tyler would go up to the little dickhead in the Grille, threaten to beat the shit out of them, Matt would step in try and 'calm' Tyler down, while offering them a complimentary drink on the house laced with the strongest laxative known to man and they would spend the rest of the night laughing their asses off because the boy could barely make it to the bathroom before their bowels released.

Which was why Matt was considered the brain of the group. And you wouldn't know it by looking at him, but Matt had a nasty streak a mile wide. Hurt those he considered family, and watch the fuck out.

Caroline was the planner of the group. The one who when someone got into trouble was the one who planned how to place the blame on someone else.

Rebekah was the wit of the group. Armed with sarcasm and a caustic wit, she could strip a man of his ego and make him wish for his mommy, or make someone feel about a centimeter tall.

Stefan was the charm. He could charm anyone and anything. Hell, even good old Richard Lockwood liked him and Tyler's daddy didn't like anyone.

And then there was Katherine. Although to Tyler she wasn't really considered _**close**_ family, Katherine to Tyler was more like the cousin no one wanted to admit they were related to.

Katherine was the bitch of the group. A self-appointed title that she relished, but even Katherine - to a certain degree - was family.

They all had each other's back, even Katherine's, so when one of them were hurting, the others closed in around them like a protective shield.

And family sticks together. No matter what.

So when Damon decided that it was a good idea to sleep with Katherine and fuck the consequences, like the family they were they banded around Bonnie, protective, snarly and daring anyone to say anything in front of their faces.

And like he knew she would, Bonnie pulled through, albeit a bit more wary and a bit more scarred, but the Bonnie they knew and loved came back to them with a fuck you Damon Salvatore attitude.

And a lot of that healing had to do with the man that was currently sitting next to her. Mason Lockwood. His Uncle.

Actually Mason was more like a brother than an Uncle. Only eight years older he had been a part of all their lives since forever.

And Tyler could tell the moment Bonnie turned 16 that Mason wanted her in the worst possible way.

Mason had always had a different relationship with Bonnie to the relationship he had with Caroline and Rebekah.

He was a lot closer to her, would tease her mercilessly yet be the one who would bail her – and the rest of them - out of trouble when she didn't want the Salvatores to know.

Tyler had thought that like him, Mason thought Bonnie as family. Not necessarily a sister but still family.

But at the Mystic Falls Debutante Ball, Tyler had seen a look cross Mason's face that had him high tailing it out of town and far away from Bonnie as possible.

Because at the ripe old age of 24, Bonnie was only 16. And that, that was a jail sentence just waiting to happen.

So from the age of 16 to the age of 22 Tyler barely saw his Uncle.

He breezed into town when it was Tyler's birthday and on Christmas, celebrated with the family, made sure to say hi to Bonnie, even though it was only short, but other than that, Tyler barely saw him.

But when Tyler had called him, helpless about what to do with a hurting Bonnie, Mason had packed his bags and made his way _**back**_ to Mystic Falls.

He helped them reach a depressed Bonnie, watched as she slowly stepped back into the land of the living, dipped her foot in the dating pool before asking her out on a date.

He knew that that had floored the others. It sure as hell floored Bonnie, but all Tyler could think was it was about bloody time.

Tyler remembered the first time he found out Mason and Bonnie were sleeping together. He and Matt had literally walked in on them.

Instead of moving back into the Lockwood Mansion, Mason had commandeered the pool house, mainly because dealing with his brother and his sister in law was something Mason didn't like doing.

It was late Saturday morning and Tyler had wanted to know how Mason's date with Bonnie had gone the previous night.

And because he was use to it, he had sauntered into the pool house without knocking heading straight for the kitchen, Matt trailing behind him.

"_Don't you think we should knock or something?" Matt asked him, hesitant in walking into someone else's house uninvited._

"_Why?" Tyler asked, perplexed._

"_I don't know it just seems rude to walk into a man's house without knocking."_

"_Technically this is __**my**__ pool house." Tyler told him, shrugging. "So technically you're walking into my house."_

"_**Technically**__- "Matt quoted, ignoring Tyler's eye roll. "- it's your daddy's house. So that means it's __**his**__ poolhouse." Matt finished, following him through to the kitchen._

"_Yeah, yeah, semantics." Tyler waved, opening the door. "What's his is mine – shit!"_

_Tyler came to a stop, staring at the scene before him in horror._

_Hearing a very feminine squeak and a male curse, Tyler slammed his eyes shut, the image he walked in on seared into his brain._

_He had just seen his uncle's naked butt, mooning him as he walked through the door. And wrapped around his Uncle's equally naked waist was a pair of curvy brown legs that only belonged to one person._

_Bonnie Bennett._

"_I'm blind!" he wailed, slapping his hands over his eyes, drawing a giggle from Bonnie and a curse from Mason. Tyler latched on to that giggle. He hadn't heard Bonnie giggle like that in a very long time._

"_Didn't anyone ever tell you, you're supposed to __**knock**__ when you enter someone else's home?" Mason growled, and Tyler heard a rustling of clothing, a zipper being pulled and his Uncle's low murmur._

"_I did!" Matt sounded from behind him and Tyler could only assume he too had his eyes covered. "But he was spouting something about technicalities and this being his house, blah, blah, blah." _

"_I think I'm blind for life!" Tyler announced dramatically, peeking through his fingers to view Mason's very annoyed face and Bonnie's highly amused yet slightly embarrassed one._

"_Idiot." Mason muttered making sure all of Bonnie's goodies were covered by his shirt. Bonnie grinned up at Mason who placed a quick kiss on her mouth, before turning to glare at his nephew. "Knock next time." He told Tyler, staring at him._

"_Next time?" Tyler cocked an eyebrow at Mason and then at Bonnie. "So there's going to be a next time?" he asked, his question directed at Bonnie more than Mason._

_Mason paused, staring down at Bonnie who flushed._

"_Yeah." She eventually said her eyes on Mason. "Yeah, there's definitely going to be a next time."_

And from that day on, Mason and Bonnie, became _**Mason and Bonnie**_. And Damon Salvatore became an extremely unhappy man.

Tyler smirked, his eyes drifting back to Damon. Tyler honestly couldn't give a damn about Damon's happiness or lack thereof. He made his bed, and he now can curl up and die in it.

Harsh it may be but after all the shit; Damon put Bonnie through and _**continued **_to put her through, wishing the man death was very mild compared to what he wanted to do to him.

And what made pissed Damon off even more was the fact that Mason wasn't intimidated by him one little bit.

Tyler remembered the day Damon walked into the Grille, looking for Mason.

Tyler, Mason and Matt had been waiting for the others to arrive before they hit the town.

"_Mason Lockwood," Damon sneered, sauntering up to their table. "Just the idiot I wanted to see." throwing himself into the seat opposite Mason, Damon raked him with a look that would've sent a lesser man running._

_Instead Mason just looked at him, one eyebrow raised, a smirk on his lips as he took a sip from his glass._

"_Salvatore." He greeted pleasantly._

"_You need to stay away from Bonnie." Damon told him abruptly, causing Matt and Tyler to stare at him in shock. "Don't talk to her, don't touch her and certainly don't date her. Bonnie is mine, you need to know that, these –"he gestured to Matt and Tyler. "– need to know that, and you – " he pointed at Mason. " – need to say the hell away from her."_

_Tyler didn't know whether to laugh or get angry at the man's audacity._

_Mason however just continued to stare at him amused._

"_Do you really think, little man, that you are __**good**__ enough for someone like Bonnie?" Damon laughed scornfully, contempt in his eyes as he stared at Mason. "Bonnie is class. She is so far above you that you aren't even in the same league as her. She is someone who is going somewhere in her life, someone of importance. You however is someone riding on the coat tails of your family name. You have what a condo in Miami and a beat up old van to carry your surfboard around. Do you really think that you can give Bonnie what she needs? What can you really give her?" Damon asked patronizing, crazy blue eyes intense._

_Instead of getting angry, Mason's smirk got wider as he leaned towards Damon, face calm._

"_Orgasms." Mason told Damon simply, watching as the other man blink in shock. "Anytime she wants, whenever she wants. Day, night, at home, in the car –"_

"_On the kitchen bench!" Tyler piped up, grimacing at the pointed look Mason sent him._

"_That's what I can give her, Salvatore." Mason confirmed watching as Damon's face went red with rage._

_It was quite fascinating to watch. Damon was a pale man, but to watch as a sudden influx of color washed over his face, those ice blue eyes narrow with hatred and rage and his fisst clench in anger was really fascinating to watch._

"_Why you smug son of a bitch -!" Damon hissed ready to leap over the table to try and take Mason on._

"_What the hell are you doing here Damon?" Stefan snapped, stopping his brother in mid-leap._

"_Fuck you Saint Stefan." Damon sneered, his eyes immediately going to the tiny brunette at his side. "We need to talk." He told Bonnie abruptly, moving to grab her arm._

_Damon found himself slammed back in his seat, Mason looming over him with barely suppressed rage._

_Tyler perked up. Yay fight! Someone was finally going to deliver Damon's ass to him._

"_Don't touch her." Mason snarled softly, blue green eyes blazing fire as he glared down at him._

_Damon shot to his feet, face in Mason's a few inches shorter._

"_Fuck you." Damon said softly._

_By now the whole Grille had gone quite, the anticipation of what would probably be the fight of the year simmering in the air. Bonnie Bennett's ex fighting with her current. Food for town gossip that is._

"_Mason." Bonnie's low voice had his Uncle's eyes flicking._

"_Mase." Moving so that she was between the two men, she gently pushed the taller man back, hands flat on his chest. That act alone had Damon give a low possessive growl. "Ignore him." She told Mason softly. "Let's just go." She told her boyfriend, ignoring the man shaking with rage behind her._

"_I said we need to talk, Judgey!" Damon snapped, reaching out to grab her shoulder._

_Everything happened so fast that Tyler barely knew what was going on.._

_Mason had moved forward to physically remove Damon's hands from Bonnie only to have Bonnie shove him backwards and in the same move pivoted out of Damon's hold, grab the hand that was on her shoulder and twist it into an awkward angle that had Damon sinking to his knees._

_To his credit, all Damon did was grunt, but Bonnie tugged his hand harder causing him to curse._

_Tyler smirked with pride. He had taught her that move._

"_Leave me the fuck alone, Damon." Bonnie told him clearly, green eyes staring down at him, emotionless. "Leave my friends alone, LEAVE MY BOYFRIEND ALONE, just leave me alone!" with one final vicious tug Bonnie dropped his hand, shot him a glare and then moved into Mason's waiting arms._

"_Shall we go, boys?" she asked others, smiling at them sweetly. "We can ring Beks and Care to meet us at the club."_

It had been a day that Tyler remembered fondly because it was the day tiny, little Bonnie Bennett brought the great Damon Salvatore to his knees.

It was a day he recounted with relish, always adding in the fact that he had been the one to teach her that move. It had Bonnie rolling her eyes at him, Mason smirking and the others laughing.

It had also been the day that Bonnie publically claimed Mason as hers.

So yeah, their Bonnie, the Bonnie that many thought was lost because of Damon Salvatore's betrayal was back. Sassier, tougher and sexier than before.

More confident.

And Mason, Mason brought out something in Bonnie that Tyler hadn't seen in Bonnie in a very long time.

It was contentment.

Her relationship with Damon had been temperamental at best, based on his ego, his hurt feelings and his jealousy. Oh there was no doubt in Tyler's mind that Damon cared for Bonnie but Bonnie had to always stop what she was doing to care for Damon's needs.

She wasn't allowed to hang out with Matt or Tyler without Damon around, she had to let Damon know when and for how long she was going to be with Stefan and with Caroline and Rebekah, she wasn't supposed to go clubbing with them.

Not that Bonnie ever listened. Bonnie did what she wanted when she wanted. But Damon made sure that Bonnie knew he was displeased with her choice of friends.

Which was probably why her relationship with Damon was doomed to fail.

Her relationship with Mason however, gave her the freedom her previous relationship didn't.

Mason didn't mind that some of Bonnie's best friends were males. Didn't mind the fact that she was affectionate with those said males. He didn't even mind all the male attention she constantly got from others, because like Mason once told him, Bonnie was with _**him.**_ She chose _**him**_ and all those other men who thought that a flirty look and a charming smile could tempt her were going to be severely disappointed.

And not only was there trust, but Mason made her happy. Very happy. The easy laughter that he associated with Bonnie before Damon was back, the affectionate touches she usually gave everyone, the playful hits.

Their Bonnie was back. And that was because of Mason.

Chuckling Tyler surveyed the crowd, his eyes falling on Stefan pleading with his mom to allow him and Bonnie to sneak out early.

It was like they were still in high-school and Stefan and Bonnie had to ask for permission to stay out past their curfew.

Shaking his head, Tyler's dark brown eyes fell on the woman at Stefan's side. Elena Gilbert.

Shuddering Tyler just shook his head. It weirded Tyler out how much like Katherine, Stefan's current girl friend looked.

Although Katherine was definitely the better looking of the two, it just creeped him out.

Katherine was by no means one of his favorite people, but even he thought it was a punk move for Stefan to move on with someone that looked so much like his ex-girlfriend.

Especially when his _**current **_girlfriend was throwing very interested looks at her boyfriend's brother.

Even Katherine didn't go there. Katherine was a bitch but she wasn't a heartless one.

Care had mentioned it last week. They had all been at the Grille, Damon had walked in, shot their group a cold stare, saw that Bonnie wasn't with them and continued on to the bar.

Elena, for some odd reason, seem to perk up, her eyes constantly going to the older man who was drowning his sorrows at the bottom of a bottle of Jamieson.

"_You okay there Elena?" Caroline asked her, noticing her attention was elsewhere._

_Tyler watched as Elena jumped, embarrassment flushing her features._

"_Yes, sorry, just – day dreaming." She finished shooting Caroline a tight smile._

"_Yeah." Caroline's eyes flickered from Elena's red face to Damon. "Yeah, I'm sure you are."_

Caroline had waited for Elena and Stefan to leave before she brought the subject up again.

"_Is it just me or is Elena suddenly very interested in her boyfriend's brother?"_

_Matt frowned._

"_What?"_

"_Elena." Caroline pointed out. "Interested in Damon."_

_Matt shook his head. _

"_Nah, can't be. She's with Stefan."_

_Rebekah smiled at him mockingly._

"_And that means what?" she asked him._

"_That she's with Stefan." Matt frowned, ever so clueless._

"_Hasn't stopped others before." Rebekah pointed out. Caroline nodded in agreement._

"_Ty?" Matt asked._

_Tyler shrugged._

"_I've noticed. But as long as she keeps it as looks and nothing else, everything should be fine." He told them firmly._

But even as he said it, Tyler didn't really believe it.

Because it was just a feeling at the moment. A feeling that Tyler hoped was nothing more than that. But Tyler's _**feeling**_ was that Elena Gilbert was gong to be the one to break Stefan Salvatore's heart.


	8. Chapter 8

_**I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone that has reviewed. Really it's because of your reviews that I get this out faster than I intend! And it's because of your reviews that I've left Power Plays by the wayside. Gathering dust… but I do hope to have that next chapter out BEFORE I get this next chapter out. Although I have said that before… oh well! Enjoy!**_

_**Caroline Forbes**_

Was it cruel to say that she found it absolutely, positively _**hil-lar-ri-ous**_ that Damon Salvatore was probably in the worse possible pain, a man had to endure? Physically and emotionally?

And was it cruel to say that she enjoyed – absolutely _**enjoyed – **_the pinched look, the sneering twist of lips and the glare of jealousy he kept shooting Bonnie and Mason as he watched the 'love' of his life lean over and kiss Mason in front of God and everyone without reservation?

Yeah, yeah, it probably was, but as Caroline Forbes sat staring at the handsome blue-eyed man from across the room, she couldn't find it in herself to feel ashamed.

It felt redundant to say that he deserved it, because she was sure everybody who was anybody had said it before.

But the fact of the matter was that Damon Salvatore deserved whatever he was going through at that moment and so much more.

Not only for what he did to Bonnie that had her dump his ass like a week old McDonald's burger, but because Damon Salvatore was a fucking asshole. To everybody.

She couldn't find it within herself to feel sorry for a man that was asshole personified. Couldn't find it within herself to feel sorry for a man who hurt so many people, so many times, without remorse.

Damon Salvatore was the kind of man that lived by his own rules, and expected those around him to do the same. Live by _**his**_ rules.

He dictated, expecting everyone to jump, directed, expecting everyone to follow and intimidated anyone who refused to do the first two.

And for the majority of those around him, they did exactly what he wanted. Because an angry Damon Salvatore was a scary Damon Salvatore. He was relentless, ruthless and like Kol Mikaelson once said, a mutha-fucker to be wary of.

Don't do what he wanted you to do, and goodbye job, goodbye home and goodbye life. And if there was anyone in this world with the means to do it, it was Damon Salvatore.

Galen Vaughn could attest to Damon's ruthlessness. He went on _**one**_ date with Bonnie while they were in college, tried to get it on with her, Bonnie fed him his nads, he went around calling Bonnie a cock-tease, Damon found out and Galen suddenly found himself kicked out of college, blacklisted from every available job opportunity he applied to and basically run out of the state.

Even Klaus was wary of an angry Damon, because there was no telling what the man would do.

The only people unfazed by his ruthlessness were his parents, his brother and Bonnie. They were the only people he couldn't bully, couldn't intimidate and couldn't bribe into doing whatever the hell he wanted.

They were the only ones who weren't swayed by his good looks, his arrogance or his bank account.

Because there was no doubt that Damon was out of this world hot. As in H O _**double**_ T, hot. His eyes, that smile, that body. And when he would smirk at you, you had to blink twice because the man was just that fine.

And Caroline was woman enough to admit that Damon Salvatore was a tall drink of water on a hot summer's day.

But he was such an _**ass**_. And unrepentant about it as well. He didn't give a damn about what you thought of him, couldn't care less if you thought he was an asshole, and lived by his own damn rules. And fuck you if you didn't like it.

And then there was the fact that Damon was one of the richest men in the State. And it wasn't just his daddy's wealth as well. Damon had broke out on his own, created his own company from the ground up and became one of the most successful under 30 year olds in the country.

So with his money, his brains and his looks, Damon Salvatore was intimidating as hell.

But the one thing, the one main thing she knew about Damon Salvatore was how _**obsessed**_ he was when it came to Bonnie Bennett.

Caroline knew the others thought he loved her, and she supposed to a certain extent he did. But Caroline was convinced that the main emotion fueling his need to be with Bonnie was obsession and not love.

She was like a possession to him, something that only he was worthy to touch. Something only he should be able to touch.

Caroline remembered their high school prom and Bonnie's date was some guy called Marcel. Smooth chocolate skin, lazy confident smile, the body of a line backer, broad, muscled and hard. Bonnie and Marcel had been dating for a good couple of months, not exactly secretly but definitely behind Damon's back.

Damon tended to be – unreasonable when it came to Bonnie and boys. Over reaction was a mild emotion when it came to Bonnie and dating.

He scared the majority of them away, and those he couldn't scare he'd bribe. There were a couple who stuck around though, despite Damon being Damon, but Caroline could count those on one hand. And not the whole hand either.

One of them had been Marcel.

Marcel had been a transfer student from New Orleans and a friend of Bonnie's cousin Arianna.

Ari had contacted Bonnie asking her to keep an eye out for him, and from day one sparks had ignited between the two.

Marcel was cool dude. He got on with the boys, didn't irritate Katherine too much and had Rebekah and Caroline's seal of approval.

Prom had rolled around and the girls plus Stefan had been getting ready at the Salvatore Mansion, mainly because Mama Salvatore wanted to see Bonnie in her prom dress.

The girls dates had arrived and all were put through almost 45 minutes of photo's lectures and subtle threats from Papa Salvatore.

They had almost made it out the door before Damon had arrived.

"_Shit." Bonnie had muttered watching as the door was flung open and Damon sauntered into the room, crazy blue eyes zeroed in on her._

"_We almost made it, too." Rebekah muttered, shaking her head._

"_Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Damon had drawled, barely sparing them a glance, his attention focused on Bonnie. Barely contained rage simmered in those icy depths, as he flicked a glance from Bonnie to a hovering Marcel and back to Bonnie again. "Going somewhere Bonnie?" he asked politely, his glare darkening when Marcel placed a proprietary hand on the small of Bonnie's back. _

"_Prom." Bonnie told him, ignoring the blazing look he sent her._

"_And who's the idiot?" he asked rudely, shooting Marcel a scornful look. Caroline watched as Marcel's big body tensed, his eye narrow as he stared back at Damon, refusing to back down._

"_How about we not go there tonight." Bonnie told him, rolling her eyes at him._

"_How about we do." Damon demanded, stepping in front of her._

"_Stop being an idiot for once in your life, Damon." Stefan growled. "And leave us the hell alone."_

"_I don't remember little brother even talking to you, so you can go jump in front of the nearest truck." Damon said sweetly, his eyes never leaving Bonnie._

"_Must we do this every freakin' time?" Bonnie asked, exasperated. "This is getting old and it's getting tired."_

"_You know the solution to that little girl." He flicked Marcel a glance, dismissing him instantly._

_Caroline saw Marcel's face tighten as he stepped to him. Damon may have been older, but Marcel was bigger. Although straight up crazy when it came to Bonnie so there was no telling who would win should it come to blows._

"_Enough!" Bonnie snapped, stepping between the two men. "We're leaving."_

"_Oh no your not," snarling Damon grabbed her by the elbow, tugging her into him. "We know nothing about this – boy. Who he is, where he comes from, where he hides his victim's bodies."_

_Muttering something under her breath about stupid men, Bonnie pulled her arm out of his grip._

"_Papa knows all there is to know about Marcel." She told him. "And he's the only one that matters. Stop being a pain in my butt and leave me alone for once." Bonnie sounded exasperated._

_The expression that crossed Damon's face was one of anger and frustration._

"_Damon –"Papa Salvatore's deep voice interrupted the glaring twosome, causing Damon to direct his glare at his father. "– a moment please."_

"_I'm busy." Damon snapped, drawing his attention back to Bonnie._

"_It wasn't a request." Giuseppe Salvatore said firmly, giving Damon no room for argument. "Bonnie, I will see you tomorrow."_

"_Yes, sir." Bonnie flashed a grin at Papa Salvatore, sneered at Damon, grabbed Marcel's hand and tugged him out the door._

It had been a scenario that had played out many times during their teenage years. Damon would find out who Bonnie was dating, would cause a scene, threaten the boy and watch as he either scampered away like a little mouse or accepted his bribe.

It was like it was all about control with Damon. He tried to control Bonnie, who she dated, who her friends were, where she went.

And Caroline was sure it annoyed Damon to no end that Bonnie bucked against him every single time. Even when they were together.

Caroline was also sure that Damon wanted this pliable doll with Bonnie's face. Someone _**he **_could control, someone only he couldn't touch. Someone who wouldn't fight him at every turn.

That wasn't Bonnie.

And even though during the wake of their breakup Damon claimed to love her, that wasn't love.

Because Caroline knew love. She had that with Klaus. Love didn't suffocate a person, it didn't force that person to lose their own identity and it didn't try and strip a person of their lives the way Damon tried to do with Bonnie.

Caroline was just thankful Bonnie had a strong enough personality to not get lost in all of Damon's crap.

Caroline was also thankful for Mason Lockwood. Or _**hot**_ Uncle Mason as her and Rebekah had called him since they were teenagers.

Because he was the one that made Bonnie smile again. The corniest shit on the planet, but he did. Thanks to him, her Bonnie was back. And thanks to him, Bonnie was smiling like a well satisfied woman.

It was something that everyone in their small little group was very happy about.

Growing up, Bonnie had different relationships with each of them.

Stefan and Bonnie were definitely soul mates. And contrary to popular belief, soul mates weren't necessarily lovers. There had never, ever been that vibe between Stefan and Bonnie. In fact the look of absolute disgust on each of their faces when someone had brought it up in the past was comical. But as soul mates, they understood each other in a way no one else could.

There were times – as teenagers - when they would be huddled in a corner, chuckling like two evil geniuses, while trying to look innocent. Those were the times, Caroline found herself trying to talk her mother out of sending them all to jail.

Tyler and Bonnie were practically brother and sister, because they sure as hell argued like ones. Caroline didn't know how many times over the years she had to break up the slap fight the two constantly got into or how many times she had to talk her mother out of arresting Tyler because he tried to beat the crap out of some idiot that refused to take no for an answer.

And it was a constant source of amusement that Tyler and Bonnie were "brother and sister" but _**Mason**_ and Bonnie were lovers.

And yes, Caroline and Rebekah were petty enough to tease Bonnie about it constantly.

Matt and Bonnie were the best of friends. They had known each other the longest, because Bonnie's grams use to babysit both Bonnie and Matt when they were babies, and Caroline was sure there were things Bonnie knew about Mall that Tyler didn't even know.

But then there was her, Bonnie and Rebekah. Sisters to the end. Three girls so vastly different on the outside, but would do anything for each other. Lie through their teeth, take the blame for each other, plan ways to get back at ex-boyfriends.

There had been a time when they were 18. Caroline had been dating a guy called Connor Jordan who thought he was God's gift to women. Caroline had been blinded by lust, refusing to believe anything anyone had said, until the day she walked in on him fucking his so called step sister.

The man then had the audacity to turn around and asked if Caroline would like to join in.

Angry beyond belief Caroline had turned to her girls, resisting the urge to blubber like a tiny child.

Bonnie and Rebekah were the best friends a girl could have. They all bunked in at Bonnie's house, staging cleansing rituals that consisted of getting drunk, getting high and burning any and all photos Caroline had of Connor.

Then unknown to Caroline at the time, they made Connor wish he had never met Caroline Forbes.

Caroline hadn't been told much, the only thing she _**had**_ been told was Connor being rushed to ED with his dick super glued to his stomach, Tyler and Matt swearing that Bonnie and Rebekah had been with them the entire night and Connor Jordan extending Caroline a very heart felt apology.

Yeah they were her girls, and she would do just as much for them as they would do for her.

And then there was Bonnie's relationship with Katherine. No one, not even Caroline, could really understand the dynamics of that relationship.

There were never two people on the face of this earth that were more different. Yet they were extremely close. Different to the relationship Caroline had with Bonnie, yet just as close if not more.

That was their group, their small little group that grew up with each other, fought with each other and lied through their teeth for each other.

Damon and Mason had always been on the outskirts of all their lives. There but not really a part of their little family.

But now as they grew older, and they grew up and had grown up relationships, more people entered their little circle. She had Klaus, Matt had Hayley, Bonnie had Mason and Stefan had Elena.

Pausing at the last name that crossed her mind, Caroline's blue stare fell on what Katherine had aptly named her doppelganger. Elena Gilbert.

Caroline wasn't sure whether she liked her or not. She seemed lovely enough, but there was just something off about her that Caroline couldn't put her finger on.

The first time she met her, Caroline had been blown away about how much like Katherine she looked.

There were obvious differences of course, Katherine was curvier, taller and in Caroline's opinion – prettier. But with Katherine, what you see is what you get. She didn't try and hide her agenda; it was laid out in front of you with neon signs, Elena however. Her agenda was still yet to be determined.

Caroline had been there the day Elena first met Stefan. And Caroline got the impression that it wasn't Stefan Elena had taken an interest in. It was _**Matt.**_ That was until she heard Stefan's last name.

"_Salvatore?" Elena asked, her eyes drifting from Matt who was trying to hide behind Caroline, to a silent Stefan who looked stunned at the sight of her._

_Caroline and Matt had met Elena the day before, after Rebekah had introduced them._

_She had taken one look at Matt, blushed like a virgin and tried to engage him in a conversation that had him staring at Caroline beseechingly to save him._

_That day, she had tried to corner Matt all the while smiling politely at Stefan, barely paying him any attention. That was until they had been introduced._

"_Any relation to Giuseppe Salvatore?" Elena asked him, brown eyes intent._

"_Yeah, my father." Stefan had said abruptly, looking slightly sick that the woman in front of him looked so much like his ex._

From that day on goodbye Matt Donovan and hello Salvatore fortune.

Grimacing at how mean that sounded, Caroline continued to watch Elena.

She was staring at Damon. _**Again. **_And Caroline could see from here the stars in the other woman's eyes.

It was Kol of all people who had noticed it at first. The doppelganger's fascination with her boyfriend's brother. He noticed the way she would stop and stare at him, flush like a school girl whenever he was close, and always be the first one of them to say hi, whenever he came over to them.

Damon of course ignored her, his whole attention on Bonnie, who in turn would ignore him.

And then there were times she would stick up for him, as if she knew him. To Caroline's knowledge they barely said five words to each other, because any girl that wasn't Bonnie, wasn't good enough to be acknowledged in Damon's world.

Caroline wasn't as much of a cynic as Rebekah and Katherine. Pretty much like Bonnie, Caroline wanted to see the best in people _**first**_ and then if they proved otherwise, then she would make her decision.

But the heated looks, the shy smiles and the subtle calls for attention whenever Damon was around, sparked alarm bells in Caroline's brain.

Not because of Bonnie, because the whole Damon ship had long since sailed. Those alarm bells were for Stefan because anyone with two eyes could see how much he had invested into that relationship.

"You're seeing this as well, right?" Rebekah's low voice commented next to Caroline, causing her to jump slightly.

Looking around her, Caroline saw Bonnie, Mason, Tyler and Klaus in some sort of heated debate about something, whereas Rebekah was watching Stefan and Elena, with a calculated look in her eyes.

"Seeing what?" Caroline asked.

"Elena. And Damon."

Caroline grimaced.

"It could be our imagination." Caroline pointed out, watching as Elena's eyes once again drifted to Damon, and brighten considerably when he flicked a glance in her direction before turning his attention back to Bonnie.

"I highly doubt it." Rebekah scoffed. "That look was the same look you had when you were checking out my brother. That look means something."

Caroline sighed knowing the other woman was right.

"Should we do something?" Caroline asked her, slightly worried.

She didn't know if Damon was that much of an asshole that he would sleep with his own brother's girlfriend just to piss him off but then again, he was the one who slept with his girl-friend's best friend to piss her off.

"What _**can**_ we do? It's not like we have hard physical evidence." Rebekah told her.

"That's a heartbreak waiting to happen." Caroline muttered. "We should at least mention it to Bon."

Rebekah shrugged watching as Elena gave Damon a smile that had the man scowling at her before turning back to his Bonnie-watching.

Something flickered over Elena's pretty face before she turned her attention back on her boyfriend and her boyfriend's mother.

"Maybe." Rebekah shrugged.

Watching as Elena's attention went _**back**_ to Damon; both women stopped and looked at each other.

"Definitely." They both chorused, watching as a look of hunger crossed the brunette's face before her face went blank.

Because the last thing their little group needed, was anymore drama. And Caroline had a feeling that's all Elena would bring.

_**R&R please! And like I said before, Elena wasn't supposed to be a bitch in this story, I just couldn't help it. And because she's evolving I might have to do more POV's from previous people. Next up Hot Uncle Mason.**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Apologies again for getting this out late. Besides being so freakin' busy I've barely had time to rest, I literally ran into a humdinger of writers block. Couldn't get past the first two paragraphs of this chapter! Went back and wrote TWO chapters of Power Plays and then volia! Hot Uncle Mason's chapter! Hope you like it. R&R please, and hopefully will be able to get the next chapter out soon! Most probably be Kol, although if you have any other ideas, let me know!**_

Mason Lockwood knew that the moment Bonnie Bennett turned sixteen that he was in deep, deep shit. As in wading around with no hope of finding his way out deep.

Because the Bonnie Bennett that showed up on the arm of his nephew Tyler, the night of the Mystic Falls Debutante Ball, had Mason taking the first flight out of town and the first flight out of state.

Because woowheee… Bonnie Bennett was turning into one _**hell**_ of a woman.

It was the first time Mason saw her anything more than Tyler's little friend, the first time he noticed that little Bonnie Bennett was growing up. The first time he felt like he was going to hell for the x-rated thoughts that was running through his head about a freakin sixteen year old.

The sight of her had literally floored him. Smooth, unblemished skin the color of the sweetest brown sugar contrasted with the off white of her strapless dress. A dress that wrapped around her upper body like a jealous lover, almost like he wanted to, and flared out sharply at her tiny waist. That small compact body that had once been all lean and gangly was now showing signs of mouthwatering feminine curves that had him shifting uncomfortably.

Long dark brown hair, was swept back from her face in an array of curls, and clipped at the base of her neck, then fell down to the middle of her back. Long tempting curls, making him wish he could wrap the strands around his fist as he pulled her mouth to his.

Long thin gloves covered her from finger tip to elbow, a tiny bracelet encircling her left wrist, the 'Salvatore' family ring winking at him from her right ring finger.

She wore barely any make up, just a touch of eye shadow, showing off those hazel green eyes and a light slather of gloss on those full lips.

She looked, breath taking. Amazing. Perfect. Fuckable.

He had been at the ball representing the Lockwood family because his older brother had been out of town.

He remembered watching her walk centre stage, a slow crooked smile touching full lips, confident that she looked just that good, curtseying slightly when Tyler sauntered up to her, bowed low and offered her his arm.

"_Son of a bitch is __**that**__ Bonnie Bennett?" Amos Garner asked him hoarsely, staring as Tyler led Bonnie down the stairs and into the middle of the dance floor._

"_Yes."_

"_Damn, Bonnie Bennett's grown__** up**__." Amos muttered male interest evident in his voice. _

_Amos and Mason had been friends for a hell of a long time, Amos being offensive linesman to Mason's quarterback._

_But this was the first time Mason had wanted to smack Amos an inch within his life._

"_Yeah." He said instead, resisting the urge to punch that look of lust on his old friend's face. "Yeah, she sure has."_

And it was at that moment Mason knew that he needed to leave town and leave town fast.

She stirred feelings in him that he had no right feeling for someone so much younger than him. Someone who, really, was just a teenage girl. Someone that was going to get him locked away because of the damn thoughts that kept playing in his mind like a high definition movie.

And it was also something that made him feel like he was swimming way out of his depth.

Because those feelings she stirred up within him was something no 24 year old should have about their sixteen year old nephew's friend.

And he had been scared shitless. Of what she evoked in him, of what he wanted to do to her and of what Giuseppe Salvatore would do to _**him**_ should he find out that Mason lusted after his sixteen year old daughter. Adopted or not.

So like a coward, he high tailed it out of town, only coming back during Christmas time and on Tyler's birthday. Twice a year for six years. And each time he came back, he was greeted with an older Bonnie, sexier, more confident and more grown up. It drove him absolutely crazy.

She was supposed to stay that adorable little girl whose hair he use to pull and tease mercilessly. Not turn into some fucking walking goddess who blessed mortal men with her presence.

And she had him waxing poetic. Really it was enough to make a grown man barf.

And during that time Mason had tried to slake his lust else where. Tried to forget about hazel-green eyes, a slightly crooked smile and skin the color of brown sugar.

That was until he noticed that every woman he went out with had at least one of those three qualities.

But when Tyler had called him to say that Bonnie needed help and they didn't know what to do, Mason found himself dropping everything to jump on the first flight back to Mystic Falls.

Only to find that the Bonnie he came back to was not the Bonnie he was use to seeing.

The Bonnie he was use to seeing was confident, sassy with a ready-made smile and a teasing twinkle in her eye. The Bonnie he came back to was quiet, subdued, the spark gone from her eye and the smile gone from her lips.

And he – like everyone else – wanted to find Damon Salvatore and tear him apart for making Bonnie cry.

He had heard through Tyler that Bonnie had begun dating Damon, and thought that the arrogant fuckwit had finally made his move.

Growing up you had to be deaf, blind and stupid to not notice Damon Salvatore's infatuation with Bonnie Bennett.

He would watch her with an intensity that bordered on obsession. Tracking her every move, possession stamped on his face whenever he would be in the same room as her.

He would then snarl and glare at any male within touching distance, those crazy blue eyes lasering anyone who he deemed got too close.

The man would always act the fool. Insulting anyone and everyone, daring to tell Bonnie what she could and could not do or who she could or could not hang out with and generally pissing everyone the fuck off.

And even though at the time Mason didn't know Bonnie as well as Damon did, even _**he**_ knew that the last thing you should do to Bonnie Bennett was tell her who she could or could not hang out with.

Tyler would also complain about wherever they went, there was a 90 percent chance that Damon would show up, cause chaos, irritate the rest of the group and make Stefan plot his own brother's grisly death. And also according to Tyler it caused for Bonnie to throw a full bottle of beer at his head on more than one occasion.

So yeah, Damon's obvious obsession, kinda intense. And kinda creepy.

Although Mason supposed that to a certain degree he could understand that obsession because there was just something about Bonnie Bennett that made men – both young and old - lose their minds over her.

Dating Bonnie, Mason had to get use to men checking her out, despite the fact she was with him. He had to get use to the fact that Bonnie was the type of woman, men would stop and stare at, flash a slow inviting smile her way and even had to get use to the fact that some would hit on her in front of him.

He remembered they were all at Club Dark celebrating Stefan's birthday.

Bonnie had worn some sort of dress thingy that had Mason contemplating on forgoing the birthday celebrations and trying to convince her to have their own private celebrations.

Mason had dragged her to the dance floor, wanting that hot little body on his.

Mason had pulled her body tight to his, their body's rolling in time with the music, her hips barely losing contact with his.

Her arms had been draped loosely around his neck and that seductive smile on her lips had him leaning down and tasting her lips, until it seemed like they were fused together.

He could barely remember what the song was but when it ended and Bonnie stepped away from him, Mason had wanted to demand that they play that fucking song again.

His lustful haze was interrupted by some big bald headed mother fucker that grabbed Bonnie ass.

"_Damn, baby. That some fine lookin' piece of ass you got pointing my way. How about you lose the pretty boy here and come play with daddy?" he leered down at Bonnie, barely sparing Mason a glance._

_He was definitely a big man, wide shoulders and a thick neck. Tattoos littered the man's beefy arms and the shirt bulged at the seams, barely containing the muscles the man was sporting._

_The only this Mason had on this man was height. Well, height and the white hot rage that was threatening to let loose at any given moment._

_A little known fact was that Mason's mother's side came from a long line of berserkers. And that uncontrollable white hot rage that they were so well known for was clouding any and all rational thought._

_Bonnie obviously seeing the glint in his eye, quickly stepped in front of him, hands planted on his chest as she nudged him back._

"_Mason, no." she told him softly, hand rubbing over his chest soothingly. "Ignore him." She murmured lips grazing his chin._

"_C'mon baby, I'm sure I can find something to do with an ass that fine." The man laughed eyes firmly on the ass in question. Mason gave another low growl that sounded almost animal-like, causing Bonnie's grip on him to tighten._

_Turning her head, she gave the meat head a cold derisive look.._

"_No thanks." She snorted, wrapping her arms around Mason's waist, she smirked at the guy mockingly, snuggling into Mason's chest._

_Mason watched as a look of irritation crossed the other man's face as he leaned forward to grab her ass again. _

_Before Mason could react Bonnie spun gracefully, grabbing the man by his thumb and twisting it painfully, bringing the man to his knee. Her other hand gripped the man by his throat, those inch long finger nails digging painfully into the flesh making the man wince. _

_Snarling Mason took a step in front of the guy's friends as they made a move to help their friend out, his big body tense, barely noticing when Tyler and Matt appeared on either side of him, their faces hard._

"_Don't ever presume to put your hands on me again." Bonnie told the man coldly, tightening the grip on his throat. "Like that move?" she asked him, almost conversationally. "He – "she nodded her head to Tyler who grinned at her proudly. "- taught me that move when I was – what 13?" Bonnie asked Tyler her eyes never leaving the kneeling man._

"_Try 14." He snorted._

"_That's right. Some little idiot – very much like you – could not take no for an answer and started harassing me. Tyler taught me how to bring a man to his knees and also how to make him cry like a baby." Bonnie's smile got colder. By now people around them had stopped dancing, all of them watching as Bonnie Bennett delivered some idiot his balls._

"_But because I'm in such a good mood, I'm gonna let you walk away with your balls intact. But piss me off again, and I will let my boyfriend go berserker on your ass." She gave the hand she had twisted a vicious tug causing him to grunt in pain. "And believe me, you don't want that happening." She told him coldly._

_Her lips lifting in a sneer she dropped his hand, shoving him roughly away from her._

"_Now that you have had your asses delivered to you by a pint sized woman –"Klaus appeared from the crowd, his face hard and cold. " – you are to leave my club. And don't bother coming back. You are effectively banned from this club and every other club I own. And once word gets out that you just man handled Giuseppe Salvatore's daughter, you'll probably wanting to leave town. While you can." Waving his hand to a couple of his bouncers, the guy and his entourage were escorted from the club._

"_Never a dull day without you, Bon-Bon." Klaus laughed, shaking his head while walking away to find Caroline._

_Tyler and Matt left also, Matt giving Bonnie the thumbs up sign while Tyler kissed her on the forehead._

"_Next time pick on someone your own size." Tyler admonished, grinning when she slapped him playfully._

_Everyone else went back to dancing, the night's entertainment now over._

_Turning Bonnie stared at him, wary._

"_Mason?" she asked hesitantly and Mason realised she was unsure of his reaction of her sticking up for herself. He remembered Tyler saying something about Damon always getting his panties in a twist that Bonnie refused to let him pummel any man who stepped out of line with her. Which resulted them in arguing for the rest of the night._

_Blinking Mason said the first thing that came to his head._

"_That was so fucking hot." He blurted, watching as a slow sexy smile crossed those plump lips._

_And the rest of the night had definitely been a night to remember._

So yeah, in a way he could understand why Damon went slightly crazy when it came to Bonnie. Men who had the balls to hit on someone else's girl while that someone else was right beside them deserved to be hit and hit hard.

But what Damon either didn't realize or chose to forget was that Bonnie was not the type of woman who found her head turned at just any pretty face and just any well placed compliment.

Mason soon learnt the art of a well placed smirk and a proprietary hand on Bonnie's waist had most men taking a step back. He was larger than most men, standing an easy 6'6, broad heavy shoulders, large fists. And then there was the rumor that he had dabbled in the UFC arena only bowing out because he had shattered his knee in a fight.

The rumor was somewhat true. He had dabbled in the UFC arena, but only in training. He didn't have the drive nor the bloodlust to make it and left that all up to the professionals.

Still the rumor served him well, especially when guys thought they could come up and try and hit on his girlfriend in front of him.

Once they found out his name, they usually beat a hasty retreat. Those that didn't were dealt with later. When Bonnie was no where around.

And it pained him to say that him and Damon, not so different. Not when it came to Bonnie.

Both were very territorial, both were very possessive. But Mason was the kind of man that learnt from others mistakes.

Damon's obsessive need to _**control**_ Bonnie pissed Bonnie off. And although a pissed off Bonnie was an extremely _**hot**_ Bonnie, Damon always seemed to go that little step further. Push that little bit harder. So that instead of having hot and sweaty make up sex, Bonnie would either throw something at Damon's head or not talk to him for long periods of time.

So Mason was possessive without being a total ass, territorial without pissing Bonnie off too much and Mason could finally act out his very explicit wet-dreams he had about this one woman who had captured his attention at the age of sixteen.

Mason frowned at that thought. Yeah that sounded creepy.

And he knew that it pissed Damon the fuck off that Bonnie had moved on. The man was still under the illusion that Bonnie was just having a temper tantrum and that she would finally see the error of her ways and make her way back to him. But the more he saw Bonnie around town on Mason's arm, the more Mason could tell Damon knew that this was no one time thing. Because Mason intended on staying for the long haul.

Their first date had been to a little Mexican restaurant just on the outskirts of town. She had wanted to check it out and he had told her he'd take her.

Their second date was to Tyler's birthday bash. He mentioned he didn't have a date and she said that they could go together.

By the time their third date had rolled around Mason was thinking of engagement rings and honeymoon locations.

But getting Bonnie to see their dates as actual dates and not just two friends hanging out had taken four dates, one explosive kiss and a whole lotta patience on his end.

But damn it had been worth it.

"Dammit Kol Mikaelson, put me down!" blinking Mason was bought out of his thoughts only to have the youngest Mikaelson son dump his girlfriend on his lap.

Grimacing when Bonnie landed on a sensitive part of his anatomy, Mason slipped a hand around her waist, shifting her slightly and smirked down at her.

"Hey there." He murmured leaning forward to capture her lips in a kiss that had the other's around him groaning.

"Really? In public?" he heard Tyler complain.

"Get a room!" Caroline booed.

"Or we could just try the men's bathroom like you and Klaus tried to." Bonnie told her cheekily, winding her arm around Mason's neck and leaning into his body.

Mason touched his lips to her cheek, hands sliding around her body shifting her closer.

"Men's bathroom was occupied." Kol told them, his eyes on someone across the room. "Old people fucking."

"See!" Caroline told them, throwing her hands up. "Geriatric sex!"

Rolling her eyes at her friend Bonnie smiled at Mason, her eyes drifting to his lips then back to his eyes.

She felt so good next to him. Soft curves, sweet smelling body, skin hot to the touch.

Leaning down he tasted her bottom lip, his hands pulling her closer. Shit what he would give to be back in his condo at this moment. Or in the limo. Anywhere but here.

"Umm excuse me." A feminine voice interrupted, a number of pairs of eyes to zoom in on her.

"Well, hello love." Kol purred, staring at the newcomer with interest.

The pretty blonde flushed, shifting on her feet her eyes going from Kol to Bonnie and then back to Kol again.

"Photo?" she croaked, avoiding Kol's flirty grin. "For the company newsletter." She finished in a rush.

"Sure Candice." Bonnie smiled at the girl soothingly, kicking Kol in the leg as he continued to leer at the girl.

The girl beamed at Bonnie – probably because Bonnie remembered her name and held up her camera.

"Group shot!" Kol beamed, leaning in close to Mason and Bonnie, the others moving so that they were all in the shot. Turning at the last minute Kol planted a big kiss on Bonnie's cheek, eyes alight with wicked mischief.

Shaking his head at the crazy Brit, Mason smirked at him when Kol turned to see Mason's reaction.

"You –"Kol said, pointing at Mason. "– are absolutely no fun. Her psychotic ex would've tried to skewer me the moment I got within touching distance of her.

Mason lifted broad shoulders. He knew Kol was relatively harmless. He flirted with Bonnie because it use to piss Damon off, and now that she was with him, and Kol didn't get the reaction he wanted, he moved on to flirting with Caroline knowing it pissed his brother off.

"One more photo?" the blonde asked, staring at Bonnie and Mason. "Of you and your boyfriend Miss Bennett?"

Bonnie flashed the girl a smile.

"Please call me Bonnie. Anyone says Miss Bennett and I'm wondering who the hell they're talking about."

The girl smiled holding up the camera once more.

Bonnie grabbed hold of Mason's face, her lips touching the corner of his mouth as they both looked at the camera, ignoring the mocking 'awwwwwws' from their friends.

"Thanks Miss – I mean Bonnie."

"No problem, Candice."

"And there goes the mother to my future babies." Kol sighed, watching the leggy blonde bounce away.

"Isn't that what you said about the red-headed bartender?" Rebekah told her brother dryly.

"Or the pretty blonde waitress?" Bonnie mentioned.

"Then there was the hot looking caterer." Caroline spoke up causing all three girls to laugh at Kol's confused look.

"Can I help it if I want to spread around the love?" he asked them.

"That's not all you'll be spreading around if you're not careful." Klaus told his younger brother.

"Yeah, yeah." He waved his hand. "I say we blow this Popsicle stand." He announced. "Go somewhere where I can get arrested for indecent exposure. Or the very least disorderly behavior."

"Stefan's just sweet talking our way out of here." Bonnie told him.

"Hmmm does that mean the doppelganger will be joining us?" Kol asked frowning at the tall brunette with Stefan.

It was no secret that Kol didn't really like Elena. Hadn't from the moment he met her and that was saying a lot. Because Kol Mikaelson was the biggest man-whore this side of the planet. If you were single, pretty and female, the youngest Mikaelson son would've tried to hit on you or at the very least flirted.

Hell, even the women that _**weren't**_ single were flirted with.

But not Elena. He had said that he didn't trust anyone, female or male, with eyes like that hungry.

Mason didn't know what the hell he was talking about at the time, but as he began observing the doppelganger – as Kol and Katherine loved to call her – he understood what he meant.

Elena Gilbert had power hungry eyes.

"Probably." Bonnie told him, smiling up at Mason.

"Unfortunately." Caroline and Rebekah muttered together, before smirking at each other.

"So, tell me something." Kol began, his eyes on Bonnie. "Am I the only one that sees the doppelganger's morbid fascination with a certain blue-eyed Salvatore that's not actually her boyfriend?" Kol asked the rest of them, his gaze moving from Bonnie to the others.

Silence settled over the group as they all looked at each other. Mason saw Caroline and Rebekah exchange glances while Tyler shot him a look.

"Oh come on. I can't be the only one that has noticed it. Elena, checking out He-who-must-not-be-named whenever _**he's**_ _**–**_"Kol air quoted. "- around. She's not exactly tryna hide it!"

"Harry Potter references?" Caroline asked him, trying to deflect, her eyes slipping to Bonnie nervously. "Is that a Brit thing?"

Ignoring her Kol turned dark eyes on Bonnie.

"Tell me you've noticed this." He demanded. "Because there is only one person in this little Girl Guide group that can talk to Stefan without getting their head ripped off, and that person is you. So tell me you see this!"

Sighing Bonnie rested deeper into Mason's body, glancing at him.

Despite what they all obviously thought Bonnie had noticed Elena's fascination with Damon. Initially she hadn't thought much about it, but as each encounter moved on, the more she knew what she saw wasn't her imagination.

"Yeah I've noticed." She told them causing the others to look at her in surprise.

"Soooooo. Are you going to do anything about it?" Rebekah demanded. "Because if that girl hurts Stefan …" she trailed away, her face hard.

"I know. Believe me I know, after all I am the one that encouraged them to get together." Bonnie told them her eyes drifting to Elena and Stefan. "But if there is anyone that knows Stefan it's me. Besides how do you tell your best friend you think his girl friend is - at the most in lust with his older brother?"

"By opening your mouth and letting the words come out." Kol told her promptly, grinning when she shot him a dirty look.

"I need evidence to back myself up. "She told them.

"Evidence?" Kol snorted. "If Damon told the girl to drop down and blow –"

"Ok!" Caroline interrupted shooting Kol a disgusted look. "No need for visuals."

Kol rolled his eyes at her.

"That girl has herself wide open when it comes to Damon. The puppy dog looks, the biting of the lip. All clear signs of a girl on the make." Kol told Bonnie.

"I know that and you know that, we just have to get Stefan to notice that." She told him exasperated.

"For what it worth." Mason interrupted, his eyes meeting Bonnie's. "Don't you think that it will be better if you give him the heads up first? That way when this all goes to shit – and from the look on that girls face it will - and Stefan finds out that you knew he won't be hurt that you didn't tell him before."

"Exactly!" Kol answered, pointing at Mason.

Bonnie took a deep breath, her gaze on Stefan.

Mason followed her gaze, watching as Damon abandoned his post at the bar and sauntered his way up to his mom and his brother, that cold hard smirk crossing his face as he winked at Elena.

Elena blushed, tucking her hair behind her ear, flicking Damon a look from beneath lowered lashes.

"Yeah." Bonnie finished, her eyes taking in the scene before them. "I'll talk to him tomorrow."


	10. Chapter 10

Kol Mikaelson was what people would call an attention whore. He knew it, he loved it and he _**owned **_it.

His oh so adorable baby sister had slapped him with that moniker at a very early age, when at a pool party she was having, he strutted his sexy ass out into the yard, shirtless and sweaty from his workout so that all her little friends could notice – and drool over - the glory that was him.

And they had. Well all except Bonnie and Caroline who refused to acknowledge his innate sexiness. Instead those two smirked at him before whispering to one particularly hot looking blonde in an itsy bitsy yellow bikini that had her squealing like she was five years old.

And she _**kept**_ squealing for the rest of the bloody day, sending his annoyance levels sky-rocketing all the while glaring the laughing trio that was his sister, Bonnie and Caroline.

Apparently Jackie, Jenny, Josie – whatever the fuck her name was – was a constant squealer. And not the good kind. No this broad would squeal at anything. Even if she was having a one on one conversation, she tended to squeal her response instead of state it.

It drove him absolutely crazy! And made him promise to get the conniving little trio back if it was the last thing he did.

That was until Bonnie introduced him to her cousin Lucy. Long legged, green-eyed Jamieson-drinking Lucy Bennett, whose sexy long limbed body and taunting little grin had him harder than his mother's imported granite counters.

That was when she deemed it worthy to strut her sexy ass into town. Their relationship was an open one. When she was out of town anything goes, however when she WAS in town ... Well Kol suddenly found himself well and truly exhausted and wondering what the hell just happened.

So being the attention whore that he was he could recognise one from a mile away. Damon was definitely one. The oldest Salvatore brother was probably more so than he. Women flocked the man to the point where it was pathetic. They literally prostrated themselves at the man's feet, begging for attention. And like the attention whore he was Damon lapped it up.

Another attention whore was little Miss Elena Gilbert. Oh she came across all cutesy and nice. Had pulled the wool over Stefan's eyes and conned Bonnie into believing she was all sweet and innocent but she this - look. A look he all too recognised because Kol was use to dealing with gold digging, power hungry, attention seeking broads. He had encountered more than his fair share in his lifetime.

Women who wanted the money, the power and the name to back them up. Women who would do anything and _**anyone**_ to get what they wanted.

And Kol knew Little Miss Elena Gilbert wanted the Salvatore bank account in the worse fucking way.

He had seen the way she had locked on to Stefan like she were a heat seeking missile and he was the Human Torch from the Fantastic Four. Seen the way she had batted those big brown eyes, smiled that innocent little smile and acted all coy and shit.

Kol noticed the way she watched as Bonnie's and Damon's relationship explode like the doomsday bomb, a relieved little smirk on her pretty features as she played all concerned and supportive to Bonnie, yet understanding and available to Damon.

Although if truth be told, Damon barely spared the girl a second look. Nope, the idiot Salvatore – and that's what Kol called him to his face – was too busy trying to win Bonnie back. Although even for Kol – who according to his sister had a PhD in crazy – the way Damon went about it was just straight up questionable.

The man tried blackmail, bribes, threats, instigation – everything he could to try and break up Bonnie and Mason so that he could win Bonnie back.

Although Kol had a feeling even if Bonnie and Mason did break up – which he couldn't really see happening – Damon would be the last person Bonnie would go back to.

The bridge had been well and truly burnt and flushed away into the sewage system.

But back to little Miss 'Innocent', Kol remembered the first time he met the doppelganger.

They had been partying at Stefan's and Damon's pad, before Damon's brain explosion.

Bonnie had strutted her sexy little ass into the condo, Elena trailing behind her like a lost puppy.

"_Bonnie my love!" Kol crowed, ignoring the dark scowl from Damon and enveloping Bonnie into a massive hug. Grinning he kissed her on the cheek loudly, squeezing her tightly._

"_Can't breathe –"she gasped, limbs failing as he swung her back and forth. "– no oxygen."_

_Grinning like the mad man he was he continued to squeeze her tighter, waiting for Damon's explosive reaction._

_As predicted Damon stomped towards them, eyes burning fire as he glared darkly at Kol._

_Just before Damon reached them, Kol released Bonnie shoving her into her boyfriend's arms._

"_Not the face!" Kol cried dramatically throwing his hands up._

_Snarling Damon hugged Bonnie to him, squeezing her almost as tight as Kol had._

"_Hands off, ingrate." Damon snarled, hands possessive, eyes shooting death threats at Kol._

_Kol smirked. The guy was way too easy to rile._

"_Yeah, yeah. I'll stop when Bonnie wants me to stop." Kol smirked._

_Damon gave a low snarl, his flashing dangerously, big body tense as he made a move towards Kol again only to have Bonnie stop him. As usual Bonnie stood in front of her boyfriend, her hands on his chest as he pushed him back._

"_Take it easy, Damon. It's Kol. He's only teasing." Bonnie told her boyfriend, her tone slightly exasperated. Probably because they went through this every single time. And it wasn't only Kol who loved riling the eldest Salvatore up. Tyler, Matt and even Klaus loved watching the vein in his head throb like it had a life of its own._

"_No touching, Mikaelson." Damon warned pointing at him angrily._

"_Or what?" Kol taunted._

"_Kol!" spinning around Bonnie slapped him on the chest earning another growl from her possessive boyfriend. "Stop it." She insisted, annoyed._

_Rolling his eyes he conceded._

"_Fine." He pouted. "I'm sorry I irritated the Neanderthal." He apologized his eyes falling on the tall brunette that came in with Bonnie._

_First thing he noticed, was how much she looked like Katherine. The hair, the eyes, the facial features. It was like a slender, lighter skinned version of Katherine Pierce._

_Second thing he noticed was that her whole attention was on Damon and Damon alone._

_Her eyes practically devoured him, hungrily taking in the man's overly possessive nature, and a keen look of interest in those big brown eyes._

_She looked, turned on. As if Damon's possessiveness was hot to her. The look of longing also stopped him. It was as if she wished she were in Bonnie's position._

_The thing about Kol that people didn't realize was that he was an expert and reading people. Their facial expressions, their body language, the inflections in their voices as they spoke._

_Many people gave themselves away without even realizing it. He could have a conversation with a person and gage exactly what they were thinking._

_And as he watched the newbie drool over her friend's boyfriend Kol knew that this girl was only going to bring trouble to their little group._

"_Kol." Bonnie said from the arms of her boyfriend. "Elena Gilbert. Elena, Kol Mikaelson, Rebekah's brother."_

"_The youngest one?" Elena queried and Kol raised his brows._

"_Yep that's me love." He told her, watching her closely as she dismissed him._

_Kol's ego wasn't big enough that he felt insulted by the snub. But by her stating the youngest one Kol knew that she probably thought that he was of no personal interest. That his bank account was not something she would be interested in._

_Heh, what the little girl didn't know won't hurt her. He may not be the richest out of all his siblings – that honor lay in Elijah's court – but he had enough that he never had to work again in his life and still spend up large._

"_Nice to meet you." She said automatically her eyes slipping back to Damon as if expecting him to acknowledge her._

_First thing the little chit had to know was that if you weren't Bonnie Bennett, you weren't worth acknowledging._

_Instead Damon had his face buried in Bonnie's neck, those bright blue orbs glaring at him._

"_Damon, say hello to Elena." Bonnie chastised._

"_Doppelganger." Damon intoned, throwing Kol one more glare before grabbing a hold of Bonnie's wrist and dragging her into his bedroom and slamming the door shut._

_Kol watched as Elena's face dropped at the doppelganger comment, her face darkening a little as both Damon and Bonnie disappeared leaving her and Kol behind._

From that moment on Kol knew that he wouldn't trust the girl and probably never would.

Eyes narrowed Kol watched Stefan and the doppelganger walked up to Sofia Salvatore, noticing the way she watched Damon watch Bonnie, a look of longing on her face before she forcibly smoothed it out, smiling up at Stefan like she was in love with him.

Shaking his head Kol downed his glass in one go, placing the glass on the bar before sauntering his way over to the small group Stefan – and the doppelganger - had just left.

Grinning as he reached them, Kol came up behind Bonnie lifted her out of her seat smacking a kiss on her cheek. Widening his eyes at the woman in his arms he turned his grin on her, probably looking like the lunatic he was.

"Dammit Kol Mikaelson put me down!" Bonnie scowled, squeaking a little as he shrugged and dumped her on her boyfriends lap before taking her seat.

Mason grunted a little, shifting his girlfriend into a more comfortable position before grinning wolfishly down at her.

"Hey there." He rumbled down at Bonnie, before leaning down and kissing the lipstick off his girlfriend's mouth.

Chuckling Kol rolled his eyes at the two, their display of affection something he was use to.

When Bonnie had been with the Salvatore idiot, public displays of affection – if one could call it that – were a stamp of ownership on Damon's part. Him making sure that every other male knew she was with him.

With these two it was because they literally couldn't keep their hands off each other.

It was almost enough to make a happily single man wish he had something more. _**Almost.**_

"Really? In public?" Tyler complained, the grin on his face belying the irritation in his voice.

"Get a room!" Caroline booed, scowling at the two playfully.

"Or we could just try the men's bathroom like you and Klaus tried to." Bonnie teased her friend.

Kol frowned, shuddering at the memory of walking into the men's bathroom to take a whizz and seeing a wrinkly white butt as soon as he walked through the door. Something he never wanted to see ever again. Ever.

"Men's bathroom was occupied." He told them, catching he eye of a delicious raven-haired beauty from across the room, winking at her. Man there were some hot looking women at this party. "Old people fucking."

"See!" Caroline told her friends. "Geriatric sex!"

Grinning Kol eyed his brother's girlfriend, loving the way she never minced her words and the way she wore the hell out of that dress.

That long athletic body with sweet svelte curves was encased in a Vera Wang wrap around dress. She wore six inch heels adding even more height to her frame. Make up was artfully applied drawing attention to those killer eyes and that amazing mouth.

And even though she was his brother's woman, didn't mean that Kol couldn't admire the beauty that God blessed them with. Caroline Forbes was freakin' hot.

Bonnie was the same. The girl was a knock-out. Caramel colored skin, wicked green eyes and a sassy little grin.

Too bad they were like the little sisters he never wanted.

"Umm excuse me." A sexy feminine voice interrupted them drawing his eyes to a pair of sexy blue ones.

Oooooh, nice, Kol thought eyeing the pretty blonde with a big camera strapped around her neck.

"Well, hello love." He purred leaning forward to smile at the newcomer. This was definitely a tasty looking treat, he thought licking his lips.

The blonde flushed meeting his gaze before looking away.

"Photo?" she croaked her eyes on Bonnie, refusing to meet his interested gaze. "For the company newsletter."

Bonnie glared at Kol for making the girl nervous before shooting her a reassuring smile.

"Sure Candice." Bonnie smiled, kicking Kol in the leg as the girl shifted under his gaze.

Pouting he rubbed the abused spot, giving her a puppy dog look that had her rolling her eyes at him.

"Group shot!" Kol announced happily, drawing closer to Bonnie and Mason. They waited as the others moved into the shot, Kol turning at the last minute to place a big wet kiss on Bonnie's cheek just as the blonde took the photo.

Turning to see Mason's reaction Kol rolled his eyes. Instead of jealous anger, he was met with amusement.

"You –"he told Mason. "Are absolutely no fun. Her psychotic ex would've tried to skewer me the moment I got within touching distance of her." He whined.

And it was true. Damon would've tried to beat the crap out of him the moment Kol appeared, always thinking Kol was trying to get it on with Bonnie. In fact, in Damon's mind the only male that wasn't trying to get it on with Bonnie was Giuseppe Salvatore. And that was because the man was practically her father.

Mason lifted heavy shoulders his smirk firmly in place. This guy was what Damon was not. Secure in himself and in Bonnie's love for him.

Kol respected that. But it meant that he couldn't pull a reaction from him the way he could Damon. And that was no fun.

"One more photo?" the tasty blonde asked, her gaze flicking from Kol to Bonnie. "Of you and your boyfriend Miss Bennett."

Bonnie flashed the girl a friendly grin.

"Please call me Bonnie." Bonnie told her laughingly. "Anyone says Miss Bennett and I'm wondering who the hell they're talking about."

Kol resisted the urge to laugh as Bonnie grabbed hold of Mason's face, her lips touching the corner of his mouth as they both looked at the camera. It was a sweet shot. Sickening but sweet.

"Awwwwww." Chuckling as the rest of them timed that awww perfectly; Bonnie shot them all a dirty look.

"Thanks Miss – I mean Bonnie." Candice chirped, smiling shyly at Bonnie before shooting him a look.

"No problem, Candice." Bonnie grinned before Candice smiled one last time and walked away.

"And there goes the mother to my future babies." Kol sighed, watching the blonde walked away.

"Isn't that what you said about the red-headed bartender?" Rebekah told him causing Kol to frown. What red-headed bartender?

"Or the pretty blonde waitress?" Bonnie mentioned. Kol looked thoughtful. There were a lot of pretty blonde waitresses.

"Then there was the hot looking caterer." Caroline spoke up causing him to frown confused. Scowling when all three girls laughed at his confusion, Kol shrugged good-naturedly.

"Can I help it if I want to spread around the love?" he asked them, eyebrows dancing.

"That's not all you'll be spreading around if you're not careful." Klaus told him dryly, shaking his head at him.

"Yeah, yeah." He waved his brother's comment away. "I say we blow this Popsicle stand." He announced, bored to death over the mundane-ness of the Salvatore Company Party. It was too proper, too sedate. He wanted lively. Fun.

"Go somewhere where I can get arrested for indecent exposure." He grinned, leering at Caroline. "Or the very least disorderly behavior."

"Stefan's just sweet talking our way out of here." Bonnie told him, pointing to her best friend talking to her surrogate mother.

Kol resisted the urge to sigh. Sofia Salvatore was the epitome of sophisticated beauty. Gorgeous beyond belief, Kol had a crush on the Salvatore Matriarch ever since he knew the difference between boys and girls.

He had also been scared shitless of the Salvatore Patriarch ever since he caught him trying to teach Bonnie how to play doctors and nurses.

Kol watched as Stefan talked earnestly with his mum, Sofia staring at her son with barely contained amusement.

Shifting his eyes to the brunette, Kol had a thought.

"Hmmm does that mean the doppelganger will be joining us?" he asked them, frowning. He didn't want his night ruined by the drooling doppelganger.

"Probably." Bonnie told him.

"Unfortunately." Caroline and Rebekah muttered together, causing Kol to smirk in amusement.

Ahhh so B1 and B2 – as he aptly named them – had noticed as well. Funny he thought he and Katherine were the only ones.

Turning he stared at Bonnie, head tilted to the side.

"So, tell me something." he began slowly, his eyes never leaving Bonnie. "Am I the only one that sees the doppelganger's morbid fascination with a certain blue-eyed Salvatore that's not actually her boyfriend?"

There he threw it out there. Now to see if anyone else had noticed it as well.

Silence settled over the group as they all looked at each other, but no one saying a thing.

Caroline and his sister looked at each other, while Tyler shot Mason a pointed look.

"Oh come on." He drawled, his attention on Bonnie. "I can't be the only one that has noticed it. Elena, checking out He-who-must-not-be-named whenever _**he's**_ _**–**_"Kol air quoted. "- around. She's not exactly tryna hide it!"

"Harry Potter references?" Caroline sneered at him while eyeing a silent Bonnie. "Is that a Brit thing?"

Ignoring her Kol turned dark eyes on Bonnie.

"Tell me you've noticed this." He demanded, eyes narrowing. "Because there is only one person in this little Girl Guide group that can talk to Stefan without getting their head ripped off, and that person is you. So tell me you see this!" he insisted.

He may not be a main part of this group, but he did care about them.

Kol had many 'friends' but hardly any _**friends. **_He had people who he could call up and hang, his persona of the care free, attention seeking whore firmly in place. Friends who knew his favorite drink, his favorite drinking spot and his favorite restaurant.

But this small group that surrounded him, plus Stefan and Matt, were his _**friends. **_People who he could call up to bail him out of jail without asking why. People who knew him to be more than the care free, attention seeking whore that he gave off to the world. People who had the same taste in drinks and the same taste in restaurants as him. Friends that were actually family.

And that was this small group.

Kol watched as Bonnie glanced at Mason, her body settling deeper into his.

"Yeah I've noticed." She told them causing the others to look at her in surprise.

"Soooooo." His sister drawled. "Are you going to do anything about it?" Rebekah demanded. "Because if that girl hurts Stefan …" she trailed away, her face hard.

Kol glanced at her, probably the only one in the world that knew of her feelings for Stefan.

Out of all of his siblings, he was closest to Rebekah, being that they were only 16 months apart.

And when she told him one drunken night that she was in love with Stefan, he had made it his life's mission to break up the doppelganger and Stefan and hopefully get the two of _**them**_ together.

"I know. Believe me I know, after all I am the one that encouraged them to get together." Bonnie told them her eyes drifting to Elena and Stefan. "But if there is anyone that knows Stefan it's me. Besides how do you tell your best friend you think his girl friend is - at the most in lust with his older brother?"

"By opening your mouth and letting the words come out." Kol told her snarkily, grinning when she shot him a dirty look.

She was so freakin sassy!

"I need evidence to back myself up. "She told them pointedly.

"Evidence?" Kol snorted, rolling his eyes at her. "If Damon told the girl to drop down and blow –"

"Ok!" Caroline interrupted shooting Kol a look that had him grinning. "No need for visuals."

Kol rolled his eyes at her.

"That girl has herself wide open when it comes to Damon. The puppy dog looks, the biting of the lip. All clear signs of a girl on the make." Kol told Bonnie.

"I know that and you know that, we just have to get Stefan to notice that." She told him exasperated.

"For what it worth." Mason interrupted, drawing everyone's eyes to him. "Don't you think that it will be better if you give him the heads up first? That way when this all goes to shit – and from the look on that girls face it will - and Stefan finds out that you knew he won't be hurt that you didn't tell him before."

"Exactly!" Kol answered, pointing at Mason. He knew he liked this guy for a reason.

Bonnie took a deep breath, her gaze going back to Stefan who avoided his mother's playful slap, a big grin on his face.

Kol turned to watch the trio his eyes narrowing when Damon sauntered up to them, throwing Elena a wink. The doppelganger blushed, tucking her hair behind her ear, all the while throwing Damon a flirty look.

"Yeah." Bonnie finished, her eyes shadowed as she watched Elena smile hopefully at Damon. "I'll talk to him tomorrow."

Kol nodded, watching as Stefan's face darkened, glaring at his brother who smirked at him.

Damon said something to his brother that had Stefan take a threatening step towards him.

Elena took a step between the two brothers, a hand on each chest, looking for all the world that she enjoyed the position as she pleaded with both brothers.

Mama Salvatore spoke to both of them quietly her face stern.

Damon smirked at his brother again that had Stefan lung for him only to have Daddy Salvatore appear from nowhere and push Stefan back, his face furious.

"Aw shit." Bonnie muttered, pulling the hem of her dress down she stood up, a look of resignation on her face.

"You better be quick, Bon." Rebekah told her friend her eyes on the pending storm. "Because you're the only one who can calm that situation."

Rolling her eyes, Bonnie took a deep breath, obviously building her patience up to go and deal with her ex boyfriend.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Mason asked her quietly, eyes questioning.

Bonnie glanced at him and then back at the family.

"Please?" she asked. "I might need someone to stop _**me**_ from killing Damon."

Mason smiled at his girlfriend, rising to his feet.

"Let's go." He told her grabbing her hand and letting her lead him towards the feuding family.

Grinning Kol watched them go, leaning back in his chair, suddenly not wanting to go anywhere.

Because the entertainment he was wanting to find, was just about to happen. Because there was nothing more entertaining than an explosive Salvatore Family argument.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Someone commented that this story is slightly confusing because at the beginning Elena was in love with Stefan and Stefan alone, and now it seems as if all she's in love with is his money. And also that her feelings have changed so dramatically that it's confusing. But they did like it! They just found it confusing. And… I agree!  
Like I said previously Elena WAS supposed to be nice and lovely and in love with Stefan and JUST Stefan, but I can't write a nice Elena. In fact in all my stories so far, Elena is not a nice person. My goal is to finally write a story where Elena is how she started out in the show. Awesome, beautiful – although she is still beautiful bitch or not – always caring about all her friends and not just herself and anything named Salvatore. But that is a FUTURE goal. Something that I do hope will happen.**_

_**For this story however the change came when I saw a snippet online about how emotionless Elena just about killed her best friend and suddenly SHE'S the victim. Despite the fact that she almost ATE Bonnie, Elena is the victim. Elena is the one who the brothers were worried about. Elena, Elena, Elena! So yeah at the time I wasn't really thinking about the plot line at the beginning just wanting to make her out to be a bitch. Now because of that I have to come up with a plausible excuse as to why she was so good at the beginning and not so good now. Hopefully I can do it! I think I can, I think I can… so because of this we will be revisiting some of the previous players just to work things out.**_

_**Woah long as authors note so I'd better get into the story! Thanks to everyone! Love your reviews and love yous! Mwah!**_

There were times like this Giuseppe Salvatore wished he was a father of girls instead of a father of two hot headed, testosterone driven idiotic, always-fighting-with-each-other boys.

There was always some sort of drama with them. Always some scuffle that one had to break up. Always someone threatening the other with a black eye or a broken limb.

It was bloody tiring. And irritating. To be constantly put in the middle of some stupid argument because both parties refused to listen to the other and both parties were too damn stubborn to even understand where the other was coming from.

But then again maybe it wasn't boys in general that were the problem. Maybe it was just his idiotic boys.

They both could try the nerves of a saint. Giuseppe had a feeling that even if you had the patience of Job it would be still hard to deal with the two idiots that claimed to be his sons.

There was Damon, the volatile, over confident, spoilt, sarcastic son, whose main objective was either to piss everyone off or try _**his**_ last damn nerve.

The boy's other main objective was Bonnie Bennett. Ever since he was little he had always been about Bonnie Bennett. The boy was completely infatuation with her. And later as they grew up that infatuation turned into obsession.

And it was a little disconcerting how _**obsessed**_ the boy was when it came to Bonnie.

The girl could barely breathe in the direction of another male without the boy going ape shit. And that was when they _**weren't **_together. When they were together … hell.

When it came to Bonnie, the boy had three basic emotions. Anger, jealousy or scorn. Anger that the girl would never bow down to his wishes, jealousy at her relationship with anyone that wasn't him and scorn at any male that was the girl's friend.

He was never content. Not even when he _**had**_ Bonnie was the boy content. Instead he was just a jealous, possessive idiot.

And now that she was dating someone else the boy was an _**insane**_ jealous, possessive idiot.

His boy was too arrogant for his own good. Something he got not only from his side but from his mama's side as well. The two mixed together led to an annoyingly arrogant idiot that thought the world owed him something.

The boy was so arrogant that he annoyed even his father-in-law who told him that he had spoilt Damon.

He had. But he had spoilt all his kids and none of the other two turned out like him.

Damon was in a class of his own. He had arrogance in spades, intelligence by the bucketful as well as good looks to back the other two up.

Women came easy for Damon, which was probably why he treated them the way he did. A means to an end. Because in Damon's mind the end was always Bonnie. They filled the need for now as he waited for Bonnie to grow up.

And when he finally _**got**_ Bonnie, Giuseppe harbored the thought that Damon would change. Not his whole personality because hell that was too much to ask, no what he thought would change was the way he treated people.

And for a while it had. Damon seemed happy, not really content but happy.

But that age old emotion called jealousy would rear its ugly head causing for many accusations and idiotic threats on his part and thrown items and frustrated screams on her part.

Damon was the reason why that relationship didn't work. It could've and a small part of Giuseppe hoped it would, but Damon was too – Damon to allow it to work.

And then there was Stefan. The argumentative, always contrary to everything his brother wants youngest child who irritated the hell out of his older brother by just breathing.

Stefan being friends with Bonnie was the reason why Damon and Stefan were always at odds. Being _**best**_ friends with Bonnie was the reason why Damon and Stefan were always at odds and Damon and Bonnie were constantly fighting during their relationship.

Damon demanded that Bonnie give up her relationship with Stefan, Bonnie told him to piss off.

Damon demanded that Bonnie not hang out with Stefan nor the other two male friends that had been in her life longer than _**he**_ had, Bonnie told Damon hell no.

Damon demanded that Bonnie ask him first if she could hang out with her female friends and Bonnie laughed in his face.

But the main point of contention in Damon and Bonnie's relationship. Was Stefan.

Bonnie and Stefan had always been close. As kids growing up into teenagers and then into adulthood you couldn't find one without the other.

It was something that was a given. If Bonnie was around then Stefan wouldn't be too far away or vice versa.

So in a way Giuseppe could understand Damon's – reactions.

But watching them you could see that their relationship wasn't anything more than that of siblings. They protected each other as such, teased each other mercilessly and loved each other without reservation.

So Damon's jealousy when it came to Stefan and Bonnie. Not needed. Understandable in a round about way, but not needed.

So those were his sons. Hotheaded, idiotic and always at odds with one another.

And by having two hotheaded, idiotic always at odds with each other sons, they were definitely going to drive him to an early grave.

That was the reason why Giuseppe thought that daughters would be a hell of a lot easier than these two.

Although if truth be told did have one baby girl. Bonnie Bennett may not have his genetic makeup but she did have his heart. The little thief stole it when she was all of five years old, turning up on his doorstep and peering at him with those big green eyes and that crooked little smile.

She had been insanely cute, really respectful and burrowed her way under his skin and into his heart by the end of that first meeting.

The deal was sealed when at the age of eight she asked him to be her date to the father/daughter dance. Giuseppe had heard her father was in town from Bonnie's grandmother and had resigned himself to the fact that Rudy Bennett would be taking _**his**_ daughter to the dance. He had been looking forward to it, even buying himself a new suit just for the occasion but when Rudy rolled into town a few days before the dance Giuseppe had been disappointed.

But then she appeared at his office building – Stefan trailing behind her, charmed her way past his secretary – who even _**Damon**_ couldn't charm – and asked _**him**_ to be her date to the father/daughter dance.

She had floored him. He remembered just staring at her almost stupidly at first. A discreet cough from the doorway had him meeting the cold grey eyes of his secretary who looked at him pointedly, eyes narrowing as if daring him to say no.

Stella Crawford had been his secretary since he started in the business. She was frightfully efficient, incredibly loyal and scary as hell. Which was why he kept her on. Well that and the fact that she was his first cousin and his daddy's favorite niece.

But Stella didn't like anyone. Not even him. Actually no that wasn't true. She liked Bonnie. Liked her from the very moment a seven year old Bonnie heard it had been Stella's birthday, and gave her a small packet of homemade cookies she made especially for Stella, as a birthday present.

That was the day he saw his tough as nails secretary soften, give the girl a genuine smile and thanked her for her gift by placing a kiss on the top of Bonnie's head.

So the idea of him declining Bonnie's invitation had Stella glaring at him like he killed her pet rattlesnake, which he was almost positive she had locked away in her bottom drawer.

He had accepted Bonnie's request – like he'd turn her down. He _**never**_ turned Bonnie down a day in her life - only after enquiring why she hadn't asked her own father. Her answer had both angered him and filled him with pride. Angered him because he couldn't see how a man could not see how precious this little girl was and filled him with pride because her first choice was him. Not her birth father but _**him**_.

Rudy Bennett was a poor excuse for a father. Actually he was a poor excuse for a man but that was neither here nor there.

Leaving your fifteen year old daughter at home to fend for herself just _**days**_after her grandmother had died - was a bitch ass move and it was something that had him wanting to find the man and smack some sense into him.

Lucky for Rudy Bennett, Sofia talked him out of it. Because Giuseppe had the means to dispose of Rudy Bennett's badly beaten body without any evidence pointing towards him as the culprit.

So instead Giuseppe bought Bonnie a car, writing it off by telling her that is was an old company car that they were thinking about replacing. Or course he was lying through his teeth, and he was pretty sure she knew it too, but he refused to take it back and refused to let anyone else touch it.

Giuseppe knew he spoilt her, just like Sofia did, but she was the only daughter they had. Blood or not.

So yes there were times, just like this, where he wished he had only daughters. Because his damn sons, were fucking idiots.

Shaking his head he pushed Stefan back beside his mother, his face coldly furious.

"Not here." He commanded his youngest son, who was intent on ignoring him.

He stood glaring at his older brother, looking like he wanted to kill him in the middle of the room, and fuck who witnessed it.

"And what the fuck was that shit with Bonnie in the bathroom?" Stefan snapped at his brother, causing Giuseppe to stiffen.

He had seen Damon exit the bathroom earlier a little gingerly but he hadn't really paid it any further attention. What the hell happened with Bonne and Damon in the bathroom? He thought spinning to confront his eldest son.

"None of your fucking business, little brother." Damon taunted, ignoring Giuseppe's narrowed eyed glare.

"Bonnie is my business!" Stefan snapped. "Especially when you can't take no for an answer."

Giuseppe's eyes narrowed as he took a step towards his eldest son, all thoughts of diffusing the situation flying out of his head.

"What did you do boy?" he growled. If he had hurt Bonnie, the boy was going to pay.

"Seppe." He felt his wife's hands on his arm, pulling him back. "Calm down, it's not as bad as Stefan's making out to be."

"If it wasn't bad then why did Bonnie find it necessary to knee him in the nuts?" Stefan asked his mother.

"Stefan!" his wife hissed. "Stop it." She glanced around at them. "Don't bring this up now."

"Fuck this I'm out of here." Stefan snapped, turning to walk away.

"Stefan Amato Salvatore." Sofia said softly, her voice lined with steel.

"No, mama." Stefan said with a cutting gesture his voice equally as soft. "I need to leave. Because this –" he gestured between the four of them. " – this always happens. Damon does some fucked up thing and you always make excuses for him. So I'm going to leave before I cause a scene you are so trying to avoid." He told her turning on his heel to leave.

"Yeah run, little brother." Damon sneered, ignoring the brunette who placed a restraining hand on his son's arm. Giuseppe frowned, glaring at the girl. He didn't like the girl. Never had, despite Bonnie and Stefan's affection for her. Even Sofia was wary of her although she gave the idea that she liked the girl. There was just something about her.

"You're good at that." Damon finished, interrupting Giuseppe's thoughts. He shook Elena's hand off him, shooting her an irritated look.

Stefan moved so fast that Giuseppe barely saw him. He rounded Giuseppe and Sofia to get into his brother's face only to stop short as Bonnie appeared in front of him from nowhere.

"Stefan." She said quietly, almost soothingly. "I need you to calm down." She murmured, the Lockwood boy coming up behind her like a sentinel.

Giuseppe watched as his youngest son's jaw tightened as he refused to look at Bonnie.

"Stefan." She clicked her fingers in front of his face, drawing his attention before she placed her hands on Stefan's chest pushing against his chest, ignoring the growl that came from Damon. "Look at me not the idiot –"

"Hey!" Damon snarled, offended.

"- ignore him, and calm down." She told him pointedly. "- don't start this here."

Conflict raged on Stefan's face as he continued to glare at Damon before he stepped back his eyes falling to Bonnie.

"Ok?" she asked him, one brow raised questioningly.

"Fine." He bit out, his glare going back towards his brother.

"Well isn't this just sweet." Damon mocked bitingly, eyes going from Stefan to Bonnie. "Bonnie Bennett to the fucking rescue just like always. This is the reason why people questioned which brother you were actually with, Bon-Bon. Because you always came to _**his**_rescue." He splayed his hands towards them, face dark with anger. "Never to mine."

"Like I said, let's not start this here." Bonnie pointed out, turning on Damon. She met his gaze full on, face closed off from emotion.

"And why the hell not?" Damon laughed. "Everyone should know that your first choice will always be my little brother. _**Fuck**_ wit over there –"he pointed to a silent Mason. "- should know that if it comes down to it, my baby brother will always come first." He finished mockingly.

People were starting to notice the little family gathering causing Giuseppe to scowl. He didn't need this. His employees seeing a private family discussion. Especially when it looked like his idiot sons were going to come to blows.

"Enough." He snapped at Damon. "If you want to carry this on, then take it elsewhere. Not here, not in front of the employees and certainly not in front of the board."

Damon sneer turned on him, his lips twisting bitterly. The boy was forever sneering at him and to be honest Giuseppe didn't know what he did to earn Damon's derision.

He was hard on the boy, he knew that, but he was hard on Stefan. And even though he may not show it openly he did love the boy.

"Because it's all about saving face isn't it daddy dear." Damon drawled. "That's all you really care about."

Giuseppe refused to take Damon's bait. He was in a fine mood tonight, hitting out at everybody.

"Damon." Sofia said softly. "I am asking you, please. Not here."

Damon met his mother's stare before backing down, the sneer taking permanent residency on his lips.

"Fine." He said mockingly. "Let everyone here have the false sense of security that the founding family of their lovely company is a loving one." He bowed mockingly, his eyes flicking to Bonnie, some unnamed emotion crossing his features before he turned on his heel and left.

The girl, Erica, Elena whatever the hell her name was stared after him concerned.

"I'll go see if he's okay." She told them, turning to leave.

Giuseppe frowned. Why the hell was she worried about Damon when she should be worried about Stefan? He was her boyfriend.

"No." Sofia cut her off strongly. His wife's ice blue eyes were staring at the girl shrewdly. "I will go. You should stay." She glanced at Stefan who was staring at Elena through narrowed eyes. "With your boyfriend." She finished, looking pointedly at Stefan.

"I – okay." The girl replied flushing, her face pleading as she met Stefan's eyes.

Sofia paused, looking at Bonnie who shook her head. Frowning Giuseppe watched as his wife sighed before pasting on a smile and following after their son.

He knew what Sofia wanted. For Bonnie to go with her to see after Damon. To help her calm Damon down.

But that's what Damon wanted. For Bonnie to run after him like she did when they were going out.

Bonnie's refusal to play Damon's game had him almost smiling in amusment.

"What was that about?" Stefan asked Elena tightly, green eyes dark with suspicion.

"I – nothing!" Elena said quickly, taking a step towards step, hands on his chest pleadingly. "I was –"

"Going after my brother." Stefan finished for her, shaking off her hold.

"Stefan –"Giuseppe warned, knowing his son was going to create _**another**_ scene.

"No I –" the girl began, big ole tears filling those big ole eyes.

"What Elena?" he snapped. "You what?"

Elena blinked, hurt all over her face as she stared at his son.

"Stefan." Bonnie's voice was firm, unyielding.

"No Bonnie, I want to know why _**my**_ girlfriend would rather go see how my _**brother**_ is doing than stay here with me." He insisted, giving the girl a narrow eyed glare.

"Okay." Bonnie sounded fed up. Reaching up she grabbed Stefan by the base of his tie, dragging him behind her. "We'll be back." She tossed over her shoulder and Giuseppe had to smirk at the sight of a 5 foot nothing female dragging a 6 foot something male across the room and out the side doors.

The Elena girl looked torn her eyes following after Stefan and Bonnie. Eyes narrowed he continued to stare at her watching the display of emotions on her face.

"Do you want me to follow them?" Giuseppe blinked at the male voice, having forgotten all about the Lockwood boy.

Turning he met the boy's gaze square on, secretly liking how he didn't cower beneath his stare. Not too many men could lay claim to that.

He very much like his eldest son tended to intimidate a lot of people by just staring at them.

Mason Lockwood however didn't seem to care. Good to know.

"Follow them?" he asked the boy.

"Stefan and Bonnie. Would you like me to follow them so that the scene they are more than likely to create won't be explosive?" There was a small quirk at the corner of the boy's lips. "And to stop Bonnie from killing Stefan, because we both know that thought was running through her mind when she dragged Stefan out of here."

Giuseppe allowed a smirk to touch his lips. He liked how this boy knew Bonnie. He also liked how this boy didn't try and squash Bonnie's relationship with Stefan. Unlike his idiot eldest son.

"It should be fine." He told the boy. "Bonnie understands the meaning of not creating a public scene." Unlike his two idiot sons, he thought scowling.

"Are you sure?" the boy asked, chuckling. "Because that look on Bonnie's face was her I'm-gonna-kick-some-ass look. And Stefan wasn't exactly in a listening mood."

Giuseppe paused, thinking. Come to think of it, yeah she did have that look on her face. He should know it, because he saw it enough over the years while she was trying to deal with both Damon and Stefan at the same time.

"Yeah maybe you should. Just to minimize the blood shed." Giuseppe allowed, staring in the direction the two disappeared in.

Chuckling Mason quirked a brow in his direction before following after his missing girlfriend and her stubborn best friend.

"Do you think I should follow them as well?" Elena asked him, watching as Mason disappeared through the doors Bonnie and Stefan had gone through.

Giuseppe frowned.

"You don't _**want**_ to know what _**I **_think little girl." He told her quietly, watching as her eyes went wide. "But I will say this. If you are playing my son and his feelings for you, I will make you regret it." He promised softly, staring into those big brown eyes.

Elena jerked, blinking at him.

"I – I'm not. I love Stefan!" she told him, almost desperately, and Giuseppe almost believed her. Almost.

"Then leave Damon alone." He told her. "Concentrate on _**your**_ boyfriend and not on his brother." Giuseppe shot her a calculating look. "And just remember this family's money is locked up so tight that only God Himself will be able to get through all the legal work."

Elena stared at him, shocked.

"I – you – I'm not after your son's money!" she told him hotly, anger entering her eyes.

Giuseppe stared at her.

"Yeah." He snorted, raking her with a glare. "Only time will tell." He muttered turning on his heel, he left her standing there, in the middle of the floor, looking lost, pissed and confused all at the same time.

Yeah, he may not know the girl but his instincts told him to be wary of her. And his instincts were never wrong.

_**Read and review please! Next chapter is going to be from a number of people's perspective. I want to play out the rest of the scene. Thanks everyone!**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**So apologies are in store. Sorry for the extremely long wait for this next chapter. Work has been out of this world hectic and I'm only just getting on top of everything. Also in regards to my previous post they liked my writing style but not the story! Which is sweet! I still take that as a compliment and don't worry you weren't rude. I do understand your view. Writing these fics you put yourself out there and you were being constructive not rude. So thank you. And I'm guilty of reading JUST Bonnie or Caroline centric fics which is another reason why my fics are so skewed. But thank you for your comments!**_

_**But to everyone else who liked it thank you so much again Imma try and not wait so long between chapters try being the operative word. Enjoy! **_

"What the hell was that all about?" Bonnie snapped at him, as she pulled him outside by his tie and pushed him away from her. Stefan stumbled slightly before regaining his footing, all the while glaring at his tiny best friend.

Dark green eyes were shooting sparks of fire at him, her mouth in a firm angry line. All denoting that he was dealing with a very pissed off Bonnie Bennett.

Normally that's something Stefan would avoid at all costs, because a pissed off Bonnie was a scary Bonnie. But he was just as pissed – if not more – than she was and he wasn't exactly thinking properly. Because if he was then normally Stefan would've back the fuck away from her.

"_**That**_ "he emphasized, pointing towards the party. "- was Damon being Damon." He snapped back, tugging his tie so that it wasn't choking him anymore. Damn things. Didn't know why men had to wear them anyways. It was like having a ready to go noose around your neck. Had to be a bloody female who invented them! Maybe this irritating one in front of him!

"Two things, one that wasn't what I was talking about and you know it and two I've told you to not get into it with him. I've told you to just walk away!" she bit out, hands on her hips and clenched into fists. "Why the hell didn't you just walk away?"

Stefan's head snapped up, eyes narrowing.

"I'm not you Bonnie!" Stefan snapped throwing his hands wide, voice slightly sneering, focusing on the latter part of her speech rather than the former. "I can't ignore him like you. I don't have your self control! I haven't perfected the art of ignoring the fucking asshole who has made _**my **_life a living hell!" By now the both of them had slipped into Italian. Stefan only speaking it when he had to or when his emotions got the better of him. Bonnie having grown up around a very Italian family picked up on the language easily.

"And besides! He started it!" he snapped, wincing when he realised how petulant that last comment sounded. Fuck now he sounded like he was five years old again and left by himself in the playground, listening as his older brother laughed at him for having no friends.

"You don't have to finish it, Stefan." She dug her finger into his chest causing him to flinch slightly. "Just. Walk. Away!"

"That's easier said than done!" Stefan exclaimed, throwing his hands up. Yep now he had graduated to 8 years old when he got blamed for breaking his mother's prize Ming vase that Damon had deliberately toppled over.

"Don't you think I want react?" Bonnie asked him, taking a step towards him, eyes blazing. "Don't you think that every fucking time the man opens his fucking mouth to say _**anything **_that I don't want to do something to him? Something that would end up with _**me**_ in jail and you right beside me?" She snapped moving until she was inches from him.

Stefan grimaced at the sound of Bonnie cussing. Bonnie cussing meant she was beyond angry and well into furious.

"Every single time that man opens his mouth to talk to me, it's to blame me. Or to tell me that I have always put you first, never him. I need to grow up and stop being stubborn. Then there's Mason. And the others. Every single time." She stressed. "Not once has he said he's sorry about sleeping with Katherine. Not once has he laid claim that what he did was wrong. Every time he opens his mouth it's to lay blame at _**my**_ door, not his. Katherine," she waved her hands around. "- she's apologized a million different times in a million different ways. Damon doesn't think it his fault. So yes I understand what you are going through," Bonnie took a deep calming breath that didn't really seem to help, her eyes meeting his.

"I get it. I really do. Damon's an ass and will always be an ass. But don't bring it out here. In public, in front of everyone!" she snapped her voice rising.

Stefan glared at her, jaw tight with anger. Anger not at her but at his idiot brother.

Damon had been an asshole _**his**_ entire life. IT was as if he resented Stefan's very existence. There was never a time in Stefan's memory where he ever had a 'brother ' moment with Damon. Never the brotherly camaraderie that Tyler and Matt have, never the shared looks of amusement that Kol and Klaus had.

Instead his childhood was filled with arguments, fistfights and accusations.

And he was sick of it.

Just like he was sick of Damon always blaming every other person for his own mistakes. Just like he blamed Bonnie for _**him**_ stepping out on _**her**_.

"He's a fucking idiot." He said lowly, his anger still simmering in his blood.

"That's a given." She told him. "But then again, so are you."

"Hey!"

"Dammit Stefan, this shit is getting old. You and your brother are getting old. He's not willing to grow up so that has to be you!"

"Why me?! He's the older one!" he snapped, his voice on the verge of whining.

"He's also the more idiotic one." She told him. "You should know by now that nothing pisses Damon off more than someone ignoring him. It pisses off the attention whore in him. Ignore him and you win. Fight with him and _**he**_ wins."

Stefan scowled, folding his arms across his chest like he was three years old.

"Well that idea sucks!" he muttered, causing Bonnie's jaw to tighten briefly before she took a deep breath.

"Just do it!" she said through gritted teeth, exasperated.

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

They both fell silent, glaring at one another before the corner of Stefan's lips lifted in amusement. Scowling Bonnie firmed her lips, resisting being pulled out of her mood.

Instead Stefan let the grin tilt his entire mouth, eyes shining with amusement.

Huffing Bonnie muttered something under her breath about annoying siblings before she rolled her eyes and answered his grin with a small smirk of her own.

The definition of a true sibling relationship. The ability to be blindingly angry with each other one minute and get the fuck over yourself the next.

Rolling her eyes at him she reached up to flick him in the head.

"Stop getting me angry." She told him, grinning when he flinched at rubbed the abused spot on his forehead.

"Technically it wasn't me you were angry at. It was the Idiot." He replied, pouting. "I just happened to be in the cross fire."

Shaking her head at him she sighed.

"We –"she pointed to herself and then to him. "– need to come to an agreement." Eyes narrowed she stared at him. "Ignore the idiot at all times. _**Especially **_the times he tries to piss us off. Have each others backs and if he corners us by ourselves, then and only then can we react. Got it?"

Stefan rolled his eyes.

"Fine." He widened his eyes. "But I can't promise that I won't kill him."

"Just make sure there aren't witnesses around!" she insisted.

"Well, isn't this heartwarming?" an amused male voice interrupted the two, causing them both to jump guiltily. "Two best friends, bonding over the murder of one Mystic Fall's most prominent businessmen."

Turning Stefan flashed a charming grin at newcomer who raised a dark brow at him.

"But you'll be our alibi right Mason?" he asked the other man, rolling his eyes at the look that crossed Bonnie's face as she spied her boyfriend. She was so gone over Mason Lockwood that really it was hilarious.

"I'll be her alibi –"he said pointing to his girlfriend. "You however, Salvatore, you're on your own."

Bonnie grinned.

"That there is why I love you." Bonnie told him, walking into the other man's arms.

"Hey! We're supposed to have each other's back." Stefan complained. "Remember the speech?"

"We have each other's back when facing the idiot. Other than that you're on your own." She laughed, Mason joining in when Stefan scowled at her.

"So much for family loyalty." He muttered. "Fine, short stuff –" smirking when she frowned at the hated nickname his father gave her when she was younger. "Tell me one thing."

"What Stretch?"

"How long have you known that Elena's been in love with Damon?"

*#*#*#

"You're an idiot."

Damon blinked, turning he met his mother's azure gaze, his lips twisting at the derision he read there.

"Don't hold anything back, Ma." He said dryly, downing his glass in one go before at indicating to the bartender to refill him.

Eyes narrowing he watched as the bartender – a tall lanky college student that needed to lay off the hair products - glanced at his mother first, almost asking _**her**_ for permission to fill _**his**_ fucking glass.

Irritated, Damon's hand shot over the counter, grabbed the little college idiot by his tie and jerked him closer.

"Fill my fucking glass." He said dangerously, eyes glittering with barely suppressed anger. The boy started struggling, tugging on his tie, his eyes alarmed as he choked out an apology.

"Damon!" his mother's voice sounded like a whipcord, loud and demanding.

"Now!" he snapped, pushing the boy away so violently, that he almost fell on his butt.

"Damon!" ignoring his mother, he continued to glare at the bartender, not realizing she had appeared by his side until he felt the vicious harpy latch onto his right earlobe and pull hard.

"Shit, Ma!" he complained as she dragged him out of his chair, causing him to stumble, all the while smiling politely at the bartender.

"Excuse us." She told the kid, tight smile on her lips. Turning she tugged on Damon's ear causing him to wince. "With me. Now." She stated quietly, dragging him through the side doors and into the hallway.

"Ma, that hurts!" he told her, wincing when she dug those inch long _**claws**_ into his sensitive earlobe and pulled at the same time.

"I've hard enough, Damon." She told him, her voice still low, still quiet but filled with so much anger that Damon stopped struggling. "I've had enough of your stupid little tantrums. I've had enough of you disrespecting your brother, your father, Bonnie, _**me!I**_" Damon met identical blue eyes, flinching as she gave his ear another vicious tug. "I'm sick of you dragging the Salvatore name through the mud all because of your fucking ego!" Damon literally froze. In all the years he had been alive he had never, once, heard his mom curse. It wasn't becoming of a woman of her station to curse so she simply didn't. Sofia Salvatore expressed her displeasure in other ways.

But for her to forget her station, forget herself, Damon knew that his mom was absolutely, positively, furious. At him.

"Ma –"

"No, enough!" she snapped. "You have talked enough. Now it's time for you to listen." She gave his ear one last tug, before letting him go. Grimacing Damon touched his aching ear, rubbing the throbbing lobe. "You are to leave that girl a lone –"

"I told you, Ma, Bonnie is –"

"I'm not talking about Bonnie, Damon." She said coldly. "I'm talking about Elena."

Damon blinked, confused. Elena? What the hell had this got to do with the doppelganger? He barely paid her any attention and when he did it was only to piss his brother off.

"What about Elena?" he asked pouting as his ear throbbed.

"The girl is infatuated with you –"

Damon almost rolled his eyes. It wasn't his fault if his brother's girlfriend preferred Damon over him. It just showed that the girl had good taste. Unlike Bonnie bloody Bennett!

"Mama –"

"I said enough!" she snapped, causing Damon to fall silent. "Do not encourage that girl's feeling for you."

"Ma, I –"

"I saw that wink, Damon." She told him, slapping him on the chest. Shit, now she was beating him up? What the hell? "I see the way she stares at you, and then you throw her a smile that has her face beaming like a forth of July float. Any little encouragement will have that girl all tied up in knots. This family has been through enough. No more."

"You mean I've put this family through enough, don't you Ma?" Damon sneered, steadily getting angry. He was sick and tired of people blaming him for this family's problems!

Was it _**his**_ fault his brother was a fucking cry baby and went bawling his stupid little heart out to their parents?

Was it _**his**_ fault his father was a stubborn old fool and that he and Damon never saw eye to eye a day in his fucking life.

Was it _**his**_ fault Bonnie _**refused**_ to grow the fuck up, get over the damn past and just move on? With him. Not with some little fuckwit called Mason Lockwood.

Hell no. Just like it wasn't his fucking fault that the doppelganger preferred him over his whiny crybaby little brother!

"Did I _**say**_ that?" she asked him archly, causing him to wince. She had that tone in her voice. The tone where he usually got hit upside the head if he weren't too careful. "Because I don't remember saying that." She finished, narrowing her eyes at him. "What I said was that this family has been through _**enough**_. And if you pursue this – thing with Elena, you will break any and all ties not only with your brother but with Bonnie as well."

Damon jerked, raising his head to meet her gaze.

"Do you really think that you would have _**any**_ chance whatsoever in getting Bonnie back if you act on Elena's feelings for you?" his mother asked him. "You fucked up –"Damon winced again at his mother cursing. "– when you bedded Katherine. But going there, with Elena will have Bonnie _**never**_ talking to you again."

"Nice to know, mother-dear, how much you really think of me." Damon sneered. "I would never do that to Stefan."

"You know what Damon, I thought that you would have _**never**_ cheated on Bonnie." She told him. "After all these years of chasing after her, scaring away her dates, _**bribing **_those that didn't scare easily. I thought there is no way, no how, Damon would cheat on Bonnie. Not after he _**finally**_ got her. But you did." She said softly, ignoring his flinch. "With her best friend. All because of some preconceived notion in your head of how _**that**_ would control her. Teach her. But it blew up in your face Damon. Just like if you pursue this – thing Elena has for you. It'll destroy you. I guarantee it. And unlike before I won't be there to smooth things over."

Damon frowned.

"So you're just gonna take his side, like always?"

"I've never taken Stefan's side in anything Damon. Use that eidetic memory of yours. Every time you and Stefan have had an argument or a disagreement, and your father and Bonnie have taken his side, I've stood beside _**you**_. On _**your**_ side. But if you do this, you're on your own." She stood straighter, smoothing the sides of her dress. "I won't be there to be peacekeeper or referee. Do you hear me?"

"Is it _**my**_ fault the little twit has feelings for me?" he asked his mother slightly exasperated. "You know I've been all about Bonnie since I discovered there was a difference between boys and girls. It always been Bonnie. It always _**will **_be Bonnie."

"Then don't encourage Elena just to get to your brother."

Damon rolled his eyes.

"If the girl is swayed by just a little smile then do you really want her dating your precious Stefan?" he asked her with mock seriousness. "Because as fucked up as my relationship with him is, even _**I **_don't want him to be with her if that's all it takes to distract her. Because that means Bonnie will be concentrated on Stefan and _**his**_ feelings instead of me and mine."

Damon watched as a muscle ticked in her mother's jaw. Interesting. He thought only his father's jaw could do that.

"Like I said before, you're an idiot." His mother said through gritted teeth.

"My main goal at this moment in time, is getting Bonnie back. Not screwing with McBroody's head –" Damon flashed his mom a grin at his nickname for his brother. "– although that is very tempting. Not taking a side trip to doppelganger alley with his little girlfriend – which by the way am I the only one who thinks that it's totally fucked up that he's dating the mirror image of his ex-girlfriend? And not pissing you or daddy dear off. I want Bonnie back. I'm going to get Bonnie back. And her fuckwit of a screw buddy, will have to live with it. Because Bonnie belongs with me." He told his mother, straightening his tie while winking at his mom.

"_Arrogante, idiota, stupido_" she muttered at him.

"Well that's just rude." He complained, grinning at his mom.

"Damon."

"Look I promise on Bonnie Bennett's life that I am not going to take a side trip to doppelganger alley." He widened his eyes at his mom, sincere for the first time in what seemed like ages. "She has nothing I want. What I want is Bonnie back in my life. And like I keep telling you and those idiots out there, I am going to get Bonnie back in my life. Any way I can."

Elena felt as if every person in the room was staring at her. Judging her. Whispering about her. _**Condemning**_ her_**.**_

She stood almost frozen, watching as Stefan's father walked away from her, his words ringing in her ears.

Was that really what he thought? Was that what _**Stefan**_ thought?

Panicking slightly Elena made to go after Stefan only to stop. He had been pissed at her. Really pissed.

She never had to deal with a pissed off Stefan because Bonnie was usually around to tell him to get over himself. And he had never been pissed off at her.

Usually it was Damon, or Katherine. Stefan was usually too easy going to be angry at anyone. Only his brother and his ex-girl friend could piss him off to exploding point.

And only Bonnie and his mom could get him to calm down.

Biting her lip, Elena stood undecided. Bonnie had it covered, she thought. She'd calm him down. Bonnie could always calm him down.

And Giuseppe was wrong. She _**loved**_ Stefan. Had from the very first moment she saw him and was captured by those soulful green eyes. Eyes that stared at her like she was the only girl in the room. Eyes that didn't judge her condemn her or mock her. Eyes she easily fell in love with.

Even if the man was dirt poor Elena knew that she would love him, because she was in love with _**him**_ and not his money.

Grimacing Elena turned only to meet the mocking light brown eyes of Katherine Pierce. The bane of her fucking existence.

"Well, well, well, doppelganger," she mocked. "You sure do know how to clear a room." She laughed, taking a sip out of her glass.

"How about we not talk to each other." Elena asked the taller woman, stiffly. "I'll stay on my side of the room and you stay on yours."

"But getting under your skin is so much fun." Katherine drawled, blood colored nails tapping delicately on her wine glass.

"What is it you want from me, Katherine?" Elena asked, fed up with the other woman's mocks and taunts. "I've never ever done anything to you, yet you live to make my life a misery."

Instead of getting angry the other woman just laughed.

"Because that's my life's mission, isn't it doppelganger? To make you happy?" she drawled, eyes mocking her.

Frustrated Elena turned on her heel to walk away from her.

"You want a little advice doppelganger?" the other woman called out as Elena walked away

"Not from you I don't." Elena bit out, pausing despite herself.

Low sultry laughter drifted over her.

"I'm going to give it anyways. When it comes to the Salvatores, Bonnie will always come first." Katherine told her, conversationally. "With Sofia, with Giuseppe especially with Stefan. And with Damon, there has only ever been Bonnie Bennett."

Elena shifted uncomfortably, unsure of the feeling that was running through her at the moment.

"So this little – thing – you've got going on trying to insinuate yourself into the Salvatore's lives –"a cold quirk of her lips had Elena gritting her teeth. "– will amount to nothing. Because to Mama and Papa Salvatore you are nothing. You will only ever be, the woman Stefan is screwing."

"Talking from experience Katherine?" Elena sneered, unable to help herself.

Katherine lifted slim shoulders a knowing smirk crossing her features.

"At least I understood that, and owned it. You however, are trying to be the long lost daughter you think they want. They have a daughter. And her name is Bonnie." A small twist of her lips had Elena's tensing. "And no matter what you try to do, she will always be their daughter." Katherine moved in closer, eyes intent. "Many women before you have tried, and every single one of them have failed to take Bonnie's position in the Salvatore's lives. You won't be any different." Katherine raked her with a look.

Stiffening her spine Elena glared at the taller woman.

"I'm not in competition with Bonnie." Elena told the other woman haughtily.

Katherine laughed.

"No, because you're not even in the same league with Bonnie. Hell _**I'm**_ not in the same league with Bonnie." That damn smirk again that had Elena _**itching**_ to slap off her face. She just wished she had the courage to do so but had a feeling that as girly as Katherine looked, she would most probably hand Elena's ass to her.

"Look I'm not even going to get into this with you." Elena sneered, eyes drawn to Damon as he sauntered back into the room, smirk firmly in place. His mom preceded him, stopped turned and said something to him that had him rolling his eyes at her before she left him, making her way back to her husband.

Elena watched as his eyes scanned the room, probably looking for Bonnie, drifting over her without pausing.

Irritated at the stab of disappointment that shot through her at his obvious dismissal Elena turned at meet those damn shrewd eyes of her nemesis.

"And that –"Katherine told her, pointing to Damon. "– is going to be your downfall girly."

"I don't know –"Elena protested.

"Please, don't mistake me for a fool, doppelganger." Katherine warned. "I see the way you look at him when you think no body is looking. Thing is, people are always looking. Especially when it comes to the Salvatores and if Giuseppe Salvatore notices something is up, then everyone notices." Katherine shot her a grin. "And if you think that Stefan will turn the other way while you flirt with his brother, then think again."

Elena jerked, shocked. The hell? She had never in her life flirted with Damon Salvatore!

"I don't have to explain myself to _**you**_, Katherine." Elena said through gritted teeth. "But for the record, I have never flirted with Damon."

"But you want to don't you doppelganger?" Katherine interjected smoothly taking a step towards her. "You want your cake and that delicious looking frosting as well." Katherine shook her head as she leaned towards Elena causing her to lean away from her. "But take it from someone who knows. That frosting will only lead to trouble. It may be rich and decadent and in some ways better than the actual cake, but it will never truly be yours." Smiling at her Katherine leaned back. "Because that frosting will always have Bonnie Bennett's name labeled all over it." With one last smirk and a totally annoying wink Katherine left Elena stunned in the middle of the floor.

She wasn't – she didn't. Did she?

Blinking Elena turned back to Damon, watching as he did some crazy eye thing to a pretty blonde on the other end of the bar.

She will admit, Damon Salvatore was by far one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen. Those eyes with those cheekbones, enough to make a woman sigh.

And then there were times – normally when he was with Bonnie or his mother – where he would drop the asshole act and be so – sweet and loving. Elena believed that _**that**_ was the real Damon. The Damon everybody should see. The Damon everybody would _**love**_ to see.

But that didn't mean that she wanted him. She loved Stefan.

Turning Elena was distracted by the way Damon smirked at the blonde and the way she blushed.

Shaking her head, Elena made her way over to the bar.

"Damon." She greeted softly, eyeing the blonde.

"Go away doppelganger." He told her all the while smiling at the blonde. "I'm trying to get to know Daisy –"

"Deidre." The blonde corrected.

" – my apologies." He smiled charmingly, smirking as the blonde giggled. " – _**Deidre**_ here and you're cramping my style."

Gritting her teeth at the doppelganger comment she leaned on the bar next to him, deliberately ignoring the blonde.

"Don't you think you've had enough?" she asked him, pointing to the half filled glass.

"You're not my mama, doppelganger. You don't get to comment on anything I do. In fact the only woman _**besides**_ my mama who has that right is Bonnie Bennett." Smirking at her, he turned his attention back to the blonde.

"Look Damon, you're Stefan's brother –"

"Exactly." Damon interrupted her, turning his full attention to her. Elena took a step back, her heart pounding as those eyes focused on her.

Something shifted inside of her as she stared into those eyes, her mouth going dry as this _**feeling**_ went through her. What the hell? She thought, taking a shaky breath.

Eyes widening at the sensation she struggled to listen to what he was saying.

"I'm Stefan's brother. Your _**boyfriends**_ brother. The same boyfriend who stormed out of here yet you are in here comforting _**me**_ instead of going out there with him."

"Bonnie is –"

"Bonnie's not his girlfriend. You are." The look he gave her had Elena's heart pounding louder. Shit, shit, shit. Why didn't she see this sooner?

If she was truthful with herself she had always had this slight fascination with Damon. He was just too beautiful not to.

But he was the guy that had broken Bonnie's heart. Cruelly and viciously ripped her heart out and trampled all over it. Was a straight up ass, and was unapologetic about it. Hated by almost _**everyone.**_

_**And**_ he was Stefan's brother.

But staring at him now, those bright blue eyes focused intently on her, Elena felt something for her boyfriend's brother that she had no right feeling. _**Attraction. **_The word whispered through her senses causing her to take a step back.

"I'm an asshole, doppelganger. I make no bones about it. I know it, my mama knows it and more importantly Bonnie knows it." His eyes left her to stare at the door Bonnie had disappeared out of while following Stefan.

"I'm such an asshole that I cheated on the love of my life with her best friend and I don't really see why she can't get the fuck over it." He lifted broad shoulders, downing the last of his drink, the blonde forgotten. "But like I told my mama, I'm not even remotely tempted taking a side trip to doppelganger alley with my baby brother's girl friend all because she has a case of 'what ifs' going on in her empty little head." His lip curled as he stared at her. "No matter how pretty that empty little head is." He leaned towards her, his eyes lowering as he whispered in her ear. "You will only ever be a stand in. Any woman that is not named Bonnie Bennett will only ever be a stand in." With his lips brushing the shell of her ear, Elena resisted the urge pant. She could practically fee the heat from his body calling out to her. Tempting her. Enticing her. Shit, shit and double shit.

"And as fucked up as my relationship with my brother is, even I refuse to go there with his girl friend." Pushing away from her he laughed at the look on her face.

Elena flushed at the mocking look in his eyes.

"I wasn't – you're not –"

"No?" he asked, smoothly getting to his feet he crowded her into the bar, strong arms surrounding her as he leaned into her causing Elena's breath to stop in her throat. "I can practically smell it." He sniffed at her neck causing goose bumps to appear along her collar bone and her head to tilt unconsciously towards his. "I can practically _**taste**_ it. If you want to stay undercover doppelganger, you need a better poker face." Smirking at her, he pushed away from her one last time. "At least Katherine loved Stefan for Stefan." He commented softly. "At least Katherine was never tempted to stray into her boyfriends brother's bed."

"But she did." Elena snapped. "And Jackson is living proof of that."

"I'm going to say something that will blow your insipid little mind, doppelganger. But that was on me. The day I slept with Katherine she was in my brother's bed, knocked out on alcohol and medication. I saw an opportunity that I really couldn't pass up, blindfolded her cause apparently they were into that shit, and fucked her. She came screaming Stefan's name. She thought she was fucking my brother –"

"So much for not sleeping with your brother's girl friend –"she sneered.

Damon just laughed at her.

"Oh they weren't together at the time. Not in that sense. They were fuck buddies. In fact in the beginning of your relationship when you were holding out on him, he was fucking Katherine. Bet you didn't know that did you doppelganger?' he mocked.

"You're lying!" Elena gritted out.

Damon shrugged.

"Maybe, maybe not." His smirk grated on her nerves. "I'm not interested, doppelganger. Not in you or whatever you have to offer. You are trouble wrapped up in a pretty little package, and if I sleep with you like my mama said my relationship with Bonnie will be shot to hell. And you're not worth it."

Raking her with a look Damon left her, trembling at the bar, shocked at what he had to say and even more the _**feelings**_ that were coursing through her.

She hadn't recognised it. Hadn't seen it coming. But Elena had a feeling that everything Giuseppe, Katherine and even Damon were telling her. Was actually true.

She had feelings for her boyfriend's brother.

_**Hmmmmmm whaddya think? **_


End file.
